The police department in my wonderful home town, the City of Redondo Beach, is offering “free” gun locks.
“The distribution project to promote firearm safety is supported by a grant from the United States Department of Justice.”
Yep, sounds “free” to me—as long as you consider distribution of plunder a no-cost proposition.
They give us the typical pitchfork murderer-enabling advice: “Unload your guns and lock them away. Lock and store ammunition separately.”
Not that your typical home invader isn’t the patient sort. Many of them actually take the time to bind and rape their victims before killing them.
They also invite you to snoop on your neighbors to see if they have guns, but, hey, isn’t that what America is supposed to be about?
Here’s my favorite part of the deal:
“The Redondo Beach Police Department will provide two free gunlocks to residents who will show valid identification and sign a release of liability form.”
Liability form? You mean there might be some danger to locking up our safety? We might rely on locks instead of knowledge and judgment, and they might not work? We or someone we love could be seriously injured or killed by following their advice and using their locks? Is that why they need us to sign a release?
I guess they realize we can’t sue them for failing to protect us, so they’re just trying to cover all the bases.
Monday, March 21, 2005
What's This World Coming To When You Can't Trust the "Gun Lobby"?
Andy Barniskis warns us that those "gun rights lobbyists" we trust to represent us in the legislatures have their own agenda and priorities.
When Nicki Fisked Matthew
Nicki Fellenzer takes on an ignorant, anti-gun college journalism major.
He's lucky she's just beating him up virtually. My money says if she ever went after him for real, he'd either be crying for a gun, or more likely, for his mommy.
He's lucky she's just beating him up virtually. My money says if she ever went after him for real, he'd either be crying for a gun, or more likely, for his mommy.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
"Thinking of England" Now Online
"Direct contact should be avoided whenever possible ... If unavoidable, the victim should adopt a state of active passivity ... be careful what you say or do and give up valuables without a struggle. This allows the victim to take charge of the situation ... By doing nothing there is no chance of inadvertently initiating violence by saying something such as 'Please don't hurt me.'"
"Thinking of England" appears in the April issue of GUNS Magazine, now online. Click here to read the rest.
"Thinking of England" appears in the April issue of GUNS Magazine, now online. Click here to read the rest.
DEA Buffoon Update
The world-class idiot who shot himself in front of a room full of kids after telling them he's the only one "professional enough" to carry a gun has been suspended.
I have a few questions:
Why does he still have a job?
Why hasn't he been prosecuted for reckless child endangerment and negligent discharge of a firearm, as would you or I be, save for the fact that we're not dumb, incompetent and irresponsible enough to pull such a bone-headed move?
Who's the jihadi in the ski mask? Dont'cha feel safer knowing guys like him are kicking in doors across the land?
And why is there an investigation to determine who "leaked" what is being described as a "home video"?
Maybe the'yre afraid someone has discovered the location of their secret clubhouse.
I have a few questions:
Why does he still have a job?
Why hasn't he been prosecuted for reckless child endangerment and negligent discharge of a firearm, as would you or I be, save for the fact that we're not dumb, incompetent and irresponsible enough to pull such a bone-headed move?
Who's the jihadi in the ski mask? Dont'cha feel safer knowing guys like him are kicking in doors across the land?
And why is there an investigation to determine who "leaked" what is being described as a "home video"?
Maybe the'yre afraid someone has discovered the location of their secret clubhouse.
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Warning: This is NOT Authorized Commentary
Jed at FreedomSight discusses the issue of bloggers protecting confidential sources.
Lauren Gelman is asking for instances where bloggers have broken stories. One that immediately comes to mind is JPFO's exposing how BATFU almost destroyed a man's life through incompetence--in other words, performing a watchdog role in the protection of individuals from abuse by government. If that isn't the role of the press, I don't know what is. Now tell me you would have seen that in the NY Times.
I'm glad to see others raising the flag on this. See "Bloggers: Have You Applied for Your Reporting License?" and "Judge Creates Special Class of Journalist--Just Because He Says So".
I suppose if judges can tell us who a journalist is, it's not a far stretch to imagine they can dictate what qualifies as news.
But I believe our friend Mr. Garrison might have something to say to them about that.
Lauren Gelman is asking for instances where bloggers have broken stories. One that immediately comes to mind is JPFO's exposing how BATFU almost destroyed a man's life through incompetence--in other words, performing a watchdog role in the protection of individuals from abuse by government. If that isn't the role of the press, I don't know what is. Now tell me you would have seen that in the NY Times.
I'm glad to see others raising the flag on this. See "Bloggers: Have You Applied for Your Reporting License?" and "Judge Creates Special Class of Journalist--Just Because He Says So".
I suppose if judges can tell us who a journalist is, it's not a far stretch to imagine they can dictate what qualifies as news.
But I believe our friend Mr. Garrison might have something to say to them about that.
"IIIIII WAAAAAAA!!!"
"An attorney for Terri Schiavo said the severely brain-injured woman cried and yelled out that she wants to live after being told today her life-sustaining feeding tube was about to be removed by court order."
Anyone want to bet Michael orders an immediate cremation?
After all, a body would allow for a later medical examination.
But I’m sure those reports about unexplained bone fractures are just desperate hype from a bunch of religious extremists, right?
I mean, otherwise, the pro-death Establishment media that generates 26,800 Google hits on the term "Terri Schiavo" coma (even though she's not in one) would certainly be investigating Michael as thoroughly as they have OJ, Scott Peterson and Robert Blake. Wouldn’t they?
After all—he’s turned down money to walk away. What possible motive could he have, other than a deep and loving commitment to the woman he abandoned?
The parents have given the "law" every opportunity and it has failed them. There comes a time when sovereign individuals must defy edicts.
If this was my kid being tortured to death, I'd go in and get her.
Anyone want to bet Michael orders an immediate cremation?
After all, a body would allow for a later medical examination.
But I’m sure those reports about unexplained bone fractures are just desperate hype from a bunch of religious extremists, right?
I mean, otherwise, the pro-death Establishment media that generates 26,800 Google hits on the term "Terri Schiavo" coma (even though she's not in one) would certainly be investigating Michael as thoroughly as they have OJ, Scott Peterson and Robert Blake. Wouldn’t they?
After all—he’s turned down money to walk away. What possible motive could he have, other than a deep and loving commitment to the woman he abandoned?
The parents have given the "law" every opportunity and it has failed them. There comes a time when sovereign individuals must defy edicts.
If this was my kid being tortured to death, I'd go in and get her.
Smart Guns Don't Always Make the Grade
There’s an understatement. “Smart guns” never make the grade.
The original National Institute of Justice grant to Sandia Labs to develop them was specifically justified by “takeaway” incidents where cops were killed with their own gun. But the cops don’t want to have anything to do with them—no surprise there.
"If a weapon is taken from an officer, I personally believe it is primarily a training issue. Most folks seem to try and solve most tactical problems through some sort of hardware improvement without looking at the core system. The human operator should be the primary system to be improved upon. Many departments are dangerously low in their delivery of ongoing advanced officer training. If an officer cannot be trusted to deploy and keep his or her weapon, please don't give them one in the first place!”
That was told to me by former Navy SEAL Ken Good, at the time, director of the SureFire Institute. He is an expert’s expert, providing weapons and tactics training to elite military fighting personnel, civilian law enforcement tactical specialists, and security professionals.
Training certainly seems to be the core issue in this “news report”—one cop killed with his own gun, the other closes his eyes and prays. And if the gun did “backfire,” the training deficiencies quite possibly extend to proper maintenance of issued firearms.
The creepiest line in this story: “Grants also have gone to private gun makers looking into…a gun that reads a rice grain-sized computer chip injected into the owner's hand.”
Who but a pathological government-worshipping Nazi dreams up stuff like this? And who are the industry whores turning tricks for them?
Two other questions to consider:
Has anyone not had the experience of pointing a remote control unit at a TV or garage door and having nothing happen?
And does anyone really think that once “smart guns” are mandated, an edict giving “authoritah” a shutoff switch will be far behind?
The original National Institute of Justice grant to Sandia Labs to develop them was specifically justified by “takeaway” incidents where cops were killed with their own gun. But the cops don’t want to have anything to do with them—no surprise there.
"If a weapon is taken from an officer, I personally believe it is primarily a training issue. Most folks seem to try and solve most tactical problems through some sort of hardware improvement without looking at the core system. The human operator should be the primary system to be improved upon. Many departments are dangerously low in their delivery of ongoing advanced officer training. If an officer cannot be trusted to deploy and keep his or her weapon, please don't give them one in the first place!”
That was told to me by former Navy SEAL Ken Good, at the time, director of the SureFire Institute. He is an expert’s expert, providing weapons and tactics training to elite military fighting personnel, civilian law enforcement tactical specialists, and security professionals.
Training certainly seems to be the core issue in this “news report”—one cop killed with his own gun, the other closes his eyes and prays. And if the gun did “backfire,” the training deficiencies quite possibly extend to proper maintenance of issued firearms.
The creepiest line in this story: “Grants also have gone to private gun makers looking into…a gun that reads a rice grain-sized computer chip injected into the owner's hand.”
Who but a pathological government-worshipping Nazi dreams up stuff like this? And who are the industry whores turning tricks for them?
Two other questions to consider:
Has anyone not had the experience of pointing a remote control unit at a TV or garage door and having nothing happen?
And does anyone really think that once “smart guns” are mandated, an edict giving “authoritah” a shutoff switch will be far behind?
Friday, March 18, 2005
Justice Department: Gun Violence Falls 63%
There are definitely some politically incorrect conclusions that could—and should—be drawn from this. We can’t fix thing unless we’re willing to accept the truth. But before jumping on the “Firearms Violence 200% Higher for Blacks Than For Whites" bandwagon, let's not lose sight of our understanding that unalienable rights are attributes of individuals, not of groups.
The most interesting comment I saw in this was also the most predictable: "The government study received minimal if any mainstream media attention."
No, duh.
Conspicuously absent from the study are two other problematic factoids for the antis:
There is no mention of defensive gun use.
There are more guns in circulation now than at the start of the study period. If guns were truly responsible for violent crime, such a reduction would be impossible.
Any thesis suggesting otherwise deserves to be ridiculed as the barbaric superstition that it is.
The most interesting comment I saw in this was also the most predictable: "The government study received minimal if any mainstream media attention."
No, duh.
Conspicuously absent from the study are two other problematic factoids for the antis:
There is no mention of defensive gun use.
There are more guns in circulation now than at the start of the study period. If guns were truly responsible for violent crime, such a reduction would be impossible.
Any thesis suggesting otherwise deserves to be ridiculed as the barbaric superstition that it is.
“If you love freedom, get this film. You will not regret it.”
“How many really, truly anti-government movies are out there? How many of them are told from the perspective of liberty, rather than a leftist dystopian fantasy? Of those that are left, how many are intended to be taken seriously?
“I'll tell you.
“There is at least one.”
TriggerFinger reviews Charles Robert Carner’s film "Vanishing Point".
Claire Wolfe also comments, calling Carner “one of the good guys. A Hollywood insider who's also pro-gun and pro-freedom.”
“I'll tell you.
“There is at least one.”
TriggerFinger reviews Charles Robert Carner’s film "Vanishing Point".
Claire Wolfe also comments, calling Carner “one of the good guys. A Hollywood insider who's also pro-gun and pro-freedom.”
Thursday, March 17, 2005
The Road to Damascus
I've corresponded a few times with a guy who approached me for more information after reading Microstamping for Macroinfringement. He told me he was "tracking this issue for my class at school (USC) for Policy and Management."
Some basic misconceptions on his part made it apparent he was not that steeped in gun rights issues. I generally answer politely when sincere requests are made, but then send such folks on their way with a few helpful links relevant to what they're looking for. After all, who has the time to go one-on-one with everyone who wants information?
In this case, I spent a little more time. In truth, I was expecting to find my correspondent had used our email exchanges to craft an anti-armed citizen thesis. So I was more than a little surprised to open the following email last night (note I have removed all identifying information out of deference to his privacy):
"I need to mention this to you before we go any further. I was an intern for the City of _______________. I mention this because yesterday I was fired. I was researching SB 352 where they were deciding whether to support this bill or not. My last day I made a recommendation to not support this bill. I really don't know whether they were tracking my conversation with you or not. I just came to realize that gun owners, gun store owners and the people involved in guns are people also. As for the criminal element, well that's another story.
"I lived in area called Lincoln Heights where gun shooting was a given. I grew up where drive-bys were like a trip to Disneyland on a weekend. I never used a gun, and never had an inclination to ever use one because I have always associated it to gangs, violence and yes, especially death. When I was in the sixth grade, my friend was shot point blank by his neighbor who hated Asian-Americans. Since then I was reticent to even get close to a gun. I've gone to shooting ranges where all I've done is sit there and watch others shoot. I HAVE NEVER SHOT A GUN. I know that sounds like a anomaly but I've always associated guns with that incident.
"When I was given this issue pertaining to SB 352, I knew that I was totally for this bill and that I would make sure that I would be able to substantiate whatever information there was in relation to this issue. And I thought that all NRA members are racist, KKK members. You proved that to be NOT TRUE at all. There are people just like me. With lives who are interested in being part of the American dream, regardless of what the government might think of them, or the media for that matter. This was truly an experience. I truly don't know whether the City will or will not support SB 352 but I just hope that my recommendation will remind them that there are victims involved here and its not the criminal element (gun owners and stores).
"I do hope you accept my apology for what I've said, this was not to slam you or to criticize what you have done. I just want to say thank you for everything you have done because if it wasn't because of you I would not be here."
Pretty intriguing. Am I being played here? Did he approach this with enough of an open mind to reverse his conception? Did the city he worked at can him for coming up with a politically incorrect conclusion?
I've offered to introduce him to some folks in the pro-2A community here, and to take him shooting. I'll post updates if I think they're warranted.
Some basic misconceptions on his part made it apparent he was not that steeped in gun rights issues. I generally answer politely when sincere requests are made, but then send such folks on their way with a few helpful links relevant to what they're looking for. After all, who has the time to go one-on-one with everyone who wants information?
In this case, I spent a little more time. In truth, I was expecting to find my correspondent had used our email exchanges to craft an anti-armed citizen thesis. So I was more than a little surprised to open the following email last night (note I have removed all identifying information out of deference to his privacy):
"I need to mention this to you before we go any further. I was an intern for the City of _______________. I mention this because yesterday I was fired. I was researching SB 352 where they were deciding whether to support this bill or not. My last day I made a recommendation to not support this bill. I really don't know whether they were tracking my conversation with you or not. I just came to realize that gun owners, gun store owners and the people involved in guns are people also. As for the criminal element, well that's another story.
"I lived in area called Lincoln Heights where gun shooting was a given. I grew up where drive-bys were like a trip to Disneyland on a weekend. I never used a gun, and never had an inclination to ever use one because I have always associated it to gangs, violence and yes, especially death. When I was in the sixth grade, my friend was shot point blank by his neighbor who hated Asian-Americans. Since then I was reticent to even get close to a gun. I've gone to shooting ranges where all I've done is sit there and watch others shoot. I HAVE NEVER SHOT A GUN. I know that sounds like a anomaly but I've always associated guns with that incident.
"When I was given this issue pertaining to SB 352, I knew that I was totally for this bill and that I would make sure that I would be able to substantiate whatever information there was in relation to this issue. And I thought that all NRA members are racist, KKK members. You proved that to be NOT TRUE at all. There are people just like me. With lives who are interested in being part of the American dream, regardless of what the government might think of them, or the media for that matter. This was truly an experience. I truly don't know whether the City will or will not support SB 352 but I just hope that my recommendation will remind them that there are victims involved here and its not the criminal element (gun owners and stores).
"I do hope you accept my apology for what I've said, this was not to slam you or to criticize what you have done. I just want to say thank you for everything you have done because if it wasn't because of you I would not be here."
Pretty intriguing. Am I being played here? Did he approach this with enough of an open mind to reverse his conception? Did the city he worked at can him for coming up with a politically incorrect conclusion?
I've offered to introduce him to some folks in the pro-2A community here, and to take him shooting. I'll post updates if I think they're warranted.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The World of Yesterday and Today
08/16/17 UPDATE: Since this post is over 12 years old, many of the internal links no longer work. I have replaced what I could with Internet Archive and other links which may load very slowly.
In today's earlier post, I acknowledged the danger of predicting what tomorrow will bring. Here are some prime examples:
Mayor Declares City Violence A Crisis
"PHILADELPHIA (KYW) Police and prosecutors concerned with a spate of killings in the city begged the public Monday for more help identifying murderers...Within the past eight days there have been 21 homicides in Philadelphia, including three in the late-night and early morning hours after the prosecutor made her appeal Monday."
This wasn't supposed to happen. NRA promised us a different scenario.
NRA PRESS RELEASE: HESTON DARES CRIMINALS TO "MAKE MY DAY"
"NRA joins Mayor Rendell, Senators Specter and Santorum, in launching Project Exile to fully enforce existing federal gun laws and remove armed felons from Philadelphia streets...
"'If you're a felon out on the streets of Philadelphia today, I dare you to carry a gun,' Heston warned...
"'I promise you,' Heston told Mayor Rendell, 'If you and your prosecutors stick to the simple, proven model of Richmond, the murder rate in Philadelphia will decline and your citizens will be safer."
And how has following "the simple, proven model" worked out for Richmond, the template for Philadelphia crime-fighting?
Richmond's murder rate climbs again-- national numbers decline
"In the final hours of 2004, Richmond topped its 2003 murder rate by one, securing its distinction as one of the nation's most dangerous cities.
"The city's final homicide of the year _ called in to police around 8 p.m. New Year's Eve was number 95, surpassing the previous year's 94. In 2002, there were 83 and in 2001, 69.
"Murders in the United States dropped by nearly 6 percent in the first half of 2004 after rising for four straight years, the FBI reported. Numbers from the second half of 2004 have not been compiled.
"Richmond had the country's fourth highest murder rate in 2003 and was ranked the nation's ninth most dangerous city overall in 2004 _ beating out Miami and Compton, Calif. Richmond is the sixth most dangerous when compared to other cities with populations of 100,000 to 499,999."
Note to NRA Management:
We tried to tell you that "Exile" was a bad idea. It's time to follow your own professed beliefs and admit that gun control does not reduce violent crime--even those edicts that you endorse.
I'm still waiting for someone at NRA-HQ to cite the Constitutional authority for the feds to be involved in gun control at all. It's past time for the suits at Fairfax to adopt the motto "Repeal existing gun laws," and stop calling for their enforcement.
After all, wasn't enforcing existing gun laws what precipitated Waco and Ruby Ridge?
In today's earlier post, I acknowledged the danger of predicting what tomorrow will bring. Here are some prime examples:
Mayor Declares City Violence A Crisis
"PHILADELPHIA (KYW) Police and prosecutors concerned with a spate of killings in the city begged the public Monday for more help identifying murderers...Within the past eight days there have been 21 homicides in Philadelphia, including three in the late-night and early morning hours after the prosecutor made her appeal Monday."
This wasn't supposed to happen. NRA promised us a different scenario.
NRA PRESS RELEASE: HESTON DARES CRIMINALS TO "MAKE MY DAY"
"NRA joins Mayor Rendell, Senators Specter and Santorum, in launching Project Exile to fully enforce existing federal gun laws and remove armed felons from Philadelphia streets...
"'If you're a felon out on the streets of Philadelphia today, I dare you to carry a gun,' Heston warned...
"'I promise you,' Heston told Mayor Rendell, 'If you and your prosecutors stick to the simple, proven model of Richmond, the murder rate in Philadelphia will decline and your citizens will be safer."
And how has following "the simple, proven model" worked out for Richmond, the template for Philadelphia crime-fighting?
Richmond's murder rate climbs again-- national numbers decline
"In the final hours of 2004, Richmond topped its 2003 murder rate by one, securing its distinction as one of the nation's most dangerous cities.
"The city's final homicide of the year _ called in to police around 8 p.m. New Year's Eve was number 95, surpassing the previous year's 94. In 2002, there were 83 and in 2001, 69.
"Murders in the United States dropped by nearly 6 percent in the first half of 2004 after rising for four straight years, the FBI reported. Numbers from the second half of 2004 have not been compiled.
"Richmond had the country's fourth highest murder rate in 2003 and was ranked the nation's ninth most dangerous city overall in 2004 _ beating out Miami and Compton, Calif. Richmond is the sixth most dangerous when compared to other cities with populations of 100,000 to 499,999."
Note to NRA Management:
We tried to tell you that "Exile" was a bad idea. It's time to follow your own professed beliefs and admit that gun control does not reduce violent crime--even those edicts that you endorse.
I'm still waiting for someone at NRA-HQ to cite the Constitutional authority for the feds to be involved in gun control at all. It's past time for the suits at Fairfax to adopt the motto "Repeal existing gun laws," and stop calling for their enforcement.
After all, wasn't enforcing existing gun laws what precipitated Waco and Ruby Ridge?
The World of Tomorrow
Predicting near-future potentials based on current trends is always a risky business—it’s one of the reasons why “The Wrath of Khan” fails modern audiences—the original Star Trek’s core audience lived to know there was no “Eugenics War” in the 1990s, no race of genetically-engineered “supermen,” no “sleeper ship” technology, and thankfully, no preponderance of chest-baring, aging actors wearing mullets—perhaps Gene Roddenberry should have placed the origin scenario from “Space Seed” a hundred, rather than 30 years into the future.
So this flash presentation, set 9 years from now, is going out on a limb—but it does seem to posit a pretty likely scenario. On the one hand, I am drawn to the potential like a moth to a flame—which means, as attractive and compelling as I find certain generalized “predictions,” it’s dangerous to disregard that invoking the name “Winston Smith” is purposeful.
So this flash presentation, set 9 years from now, is going out on a limb—but it does seem to posit a pretty likely scenario. On the one hand, I am drawn to the potential like a moth to a flame—which means, as attractive and compelling as I find certain generalized “predictions,” it’s dangerous to disregard that invoking the name “Winston Smith” is purposeful.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Attack from the Underworld
Pocket gophers are ruining my yard.
I’ve tried the gas bombs. I’ve tried flooding them out. Now I’m reduced to digging into tunnels and sprinkling zinc phosphide pellets.
The frustrating thing is, I can sit in my enclosed back patio and see their evil little heads pop up as they clear new holes. If I lived in a civilized community, John and Eli (aka Uday and Qusai) would be able to earn bounties with the Crossman.
I’ve tried the gas bombs. I’ve tried flooding them out. Now I’m reduced to digging into tunnels and sprinkling zinc phosphide pellets.
The frustrating thing is, I can sit in my enclosed back patio and see their evil little heads pop up as they clear new holes. If I lived in a civilized community, John and Eli (aka Uday and Qusai) would be able to earn bounties with the Crossman.
Ignorance and Fear Go Hand in Hand...
TriggerFinger deconstructs [How you say in Bloggese, "fisks," yes?] an ignorant and fearful woman's anti-gun editorial, and does a great job if it.
He's much nicer than I am about these things.
He's much nicer than I am about these things.
Shoot to Live
"A RECENT WAVE of violent attacks with axes and cleavers raises the issue, once again, about the effectiveness of restricting, banning, or simply scaring people away from owning firearms."—Jennifer Freeman
The 3rd Annual Nigerian EMail Conference
"I present to you an urgent and confidential request: I request your attendance at The 3rd Annual Nigerian EMail Conference. This is an excellent opportunity to meet your distinguished colleagues, learn new marketing techniques, and spend your hard-earned money. Attending this conference demands the highest trust, security and confidentiality between us."
Hysterical!
Hysterical!
Monday, March 14, 2005
Technical Difficulties
The site is slow to load and the blogroll has disappeared. The Blogrolling site page can't be accessed, so this is the same as what happened last time--I suspect there are site problems there affecting the page--as Douglas Adams said, "Don't Panic."
Your highly trained WarOnGuns technical support staff (me, who knows virtually nothing about post-Triassic technology) is working 'round the clock to restore the site to peak performance.
UPDATE:
Yep—as Bart Simpson says, “I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, there's no way you can prove anything!”
Blogrolling has been having recurring system problems they can't seem to fix.
This has been a relatively heavy day—wonder how many site visitors gave up and think this is par for the course?
Oh well, I get what I pay for.
Your highly trained WarOnGuns technical support staff (me, who knows virtually nothing about post-Triassic technology) is working 'round the clock to restore the site to peak performance.
UPDATE:
Yep—as Bart Simpson says, “I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, there's no way you can prove anything!”
Blogrolling has been having recurring system problems they can't seem to fix.
This has been a relatively heavy day—wonder how many site visitors gave up and think this is par for the course?
Oh well, I get what I pay for.
Another Fool With an Opinion
"If she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat."
On March 5, I congratulated friend Deborah Courtney for getting front page ink in The Orange County Register.
One Ian Fitz-Gibbon wrote to the OCR reporter:
After reading your article on Deborah I just had to laugh. She’s another fool with a gun. Does she walk around with a gun in her purse? LOL My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun. It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat. Being smart……..or not doing something stupid will do more for a person’s protection and security than carrying a gun. The most important thing in self-defense is what’s in your head, not what’s in your hand!
Regards,
Ian Fitz-Gibbon
Mr. Fitz-Gibbon apparently considers himself an authority on defensive tactics.
He’s evidently more educated on the matter than Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck, whose surveys indicate up to 2.5 million defensive gun uses each year by Americans.
He’s obviously done more thorough research than economist John Lott [scroll down to bottom of right column to download CV], whose exhaustive analyses of statistics from all 3,054 counties in the United States from 1977 to 1994 confirm the title of his aptly named More Guns, Less Crime.
“Murder rates decline when either more women or more men carry concealed handguns, but a gun represents a much larger change in a woman's ability to defend herself than it does for a man. An additional woman carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for women by about 3 to 4 times more than an additional man carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for men,” Lott concludes.
But we must assume that Mr. Fitz-Gibbon has amassed and analyzed superior empirical evidence.
He’s clearly reported on more case studies than Robert Waters, whose The Best Defense provides chilling, real life examples of ordinary people repelling brutal criminals with firearms. And “being smart”—just like Ian Fitz-Gibbon—would no doubt assure superior outcomes for those people chronicled in KeepAndBearArms.com’s “Operation Self Defense,” each of whom was, evidently, “just another fool with a gun.”
“My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun,” Fitz-Gibbon smirks.
Unfortunately, your guess is wrong, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. Without going into the details of her ordeal, her assailant trapped her. She knew he was coming for her before the actual physical assault, and would have had time to retrieve a concealed firearm if she’d had one.
“It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat,” he claims.
Really?
Do you have any idea how many shots a trained shooter can squeeze off “in a heartbeat” Mr. Fitz-Gibbon?
Here's a concession: Back when I was young and immortal, I was pretty heavily into martial arts. I used to do a demonstration, and, when I established the conditions (that is, having someone point a toy gun at me when I was standing within three feet of them, with instructions to shoot if I made a false move), I could—without fail—disable their gun hand and strike a simulated crippling blow. But it wasn’t real—there was no danger. And importantly, I controlled the situation.
What makes you think you would control the situation and be allowed to get within striking distance? I guess you must be a greater authority on such matters than Col. Jeff Cooper, so a trained shooter who has mastered the mental discipline of applying his Color Code would be no match against your awesome prowess.
Your point is not that you could surprise and ambush a targeted victim—hell, anyone could do that. You claim you can disarm someone who is trained and equipped, and who has you in their sights!
I could arrange a demonstration, if you like, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. I’m sure I could assemble an audience that would love to see you exhibit how what’s in your head will overcome what’s in a trained shooter’s hand. I can probably even arrange for you to place bets on your ability to prevail against, say, my 10-year-old, someone who is elderly, and maybe even a disabled shooter. We’ll even videotape it, and post it on the Internet. And don't worry, we'll only use props. Care to prove your words?
How did you dismiss Deborah? Oh, yeah, "LOL!"
You should be careful about laughing at people, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon, especially when you're obviously in over your head—it makes you come across as just another fool with an opinion.
AFTERWORD FROM TJ JOHNSTON
Ian: being Deborah's trainer, I want to respond to your comments.
Deborah's rape was typical in that the assailant didn't jump out of the bushes and attack her. That media stereotype is so far from reality. Rapists set up their victims. And when they do, the potential victim has a series of options, which are greatly expanded if they have access to a firearm.
In Deborah's case, the assailant locked her in her personal office and then carefully walked around the rest of the building, closing windows and locking the front door. If she had her Glock in her office, he would have found a nasty confrontation when he returned to attack her.
You sound very courageous, in that you feel you could disarm somebody very easily. Candidly, it is possible. I teach those techniques and it requires much disciplined practice, considerable confidence, speed and precision to do it safely. With the hammer cocked, most handguns will fire with only minimal pressure on the trigger, and the movement that action requires is much less than the movement to reach out and take the gun away. If the person with the firearm maintains his/her distance, the person encroaching WILL BE SHOT.
Most importantly, as the statistics from John Lott, Gary Kleck, and a host of other criminologists show, the mere presence of a firearm deters most criminals, usually without the gun being discharged. No one wants to get shot, and criminals are not brave people. They run away.
The facts are clear and irrefutable. In her situation, if Deborah had been armed, she wouldn't have been raped.
And I would challenge you to take a loaded handgun away from her. Knowing her current attitude and aptitude, I am confident that you would have at least one more hole in you than before the attempt.
Regards,
TJ Johnston
www.allsafedefense.com
On March 5, I congratulated friend Deborah Courtney for getting front page ink in The Orange County Register.
One Ian Fitz-Gibbon wrote to the OCR reporter:
After reading your article on Deborah I just had to laugh. She’s another fool with a gun. Does she walk around with a gun in her purse? LOL My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun. It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat. Being smart……..or not doing something stupid will do more for a person’s protection and security than carrying a gun. The most important thing in self-defense is what’s in your head, not what’s in your hand!
Regards,
Ian Fitz-Gibbon
Mr. Fitz-Gibbon apparently considers himself an authority on defensive tactics.
He’s evidently more educated on the matter than Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck, whose surveys indicate up to 2.5 million defensive gun uses each year by Americans.
He’s obviously done more thorough research than economist John Lott [scroll down to bottom of right column to download CV], whose exhaustive analyses of statistics from all 3,054 counties in the United States from 1977 to 1994 confirm the title of his aptly named More Guns, Less Crime.
“Murder rates decline when either more women or more men carry concealed handguns, but a gun represents a much larger change in a woman's ability to defend herself than it does for a man. An additional woman carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for women by about 3 to 4 times more than an additional man carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for men,” Lott concludes.
But we must assume that Mr. Fitz-Gibbon has amassed and analyzed superior empirical evidence.
He’s clearly reported on more case studies than Robert Waters, whose The Best Defense provides chilling, real life examples of ordinary people repelling brutal criminals with firearms. And “being smart”—just like Ian Fitz-Gibbon—would no doubt assure superior outcomes for those people chronicled in KeepAndBearArms.com’s “Operation Self Defense,” each of whom was, evidently, “just another fool with a gun.”
“My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun,” Fitz-Gibbon smirks.
Unfortunately, your guess is wrong, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. Without going into the details of her ordeal, her assailant trapped her. She knew he was coming for her before the actual physical assault, and would have had time to retrieve a concealed firearm if she’d had one.
“It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat,” he claims.
Really?
Do you have any idea how many shots a trained shooter can squeeze off “in a heartbeat” Mr. Fitz-Gibbon?
Here's a concession: Back when I was young and immortal, I was pretty heavily into martial arts. I used to do a demonstration, and, when I established the conditions (that is, having someone point a toy gun at me when I was standing within three feet of them, with instructions to shoot if I made a false move), I could—without fail—disable their gun hand and strike a simulated crippling blow. But it wasn’t real—there was no danger. And importantly, I controlled the situation.
What makes you think you would control the situation and be allowed to get within striking distance? I guess you must be a greater authority on such matters than Col. Jeff Cooper, so a trained shooter who has mastered the mental discipline of applying his Color Code would be no match against your awesome prowess.
Your point is not that you could surprise and ambush a targeted victim—hell, anyone could do that. You claim you can disarm someone who is trained and equipped, and who has you in their sights!
I could arrange a demonstration, if you like, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. I’m sure I could assemble an audience that would love to see you exhibit how what’s in your head will overcome what’s in a trained shooter’s hand. I can probably even arrange for you to place bets on your ability to prevail against, say, my 10-year-old, someone who is elderly, and maybe even a disabled shooter. We’ll even videotape it, and post it on the Internet. And don't worry, we'll only use props. Care to prove your words?
How did you dismiss Deborah? Oh, yeah, "LOL!"
You should be careful about laughing at people, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon, especially when you're obviously in over your head—it makes you come across as just another fool with an opinion.
AFTERWORD FROM TJ JOHNSTON
Ian: being Deborah's trainer, I want to respond to your comments.
Deborah's rape was typical in that the assailant didn't jump out of the bushes and attack her. That media stereotype is so far from reality. Rapists set up their victims. And when they do, the potential victim has a series of options, which are greatly expanded if they have access to a firearm.
In Deborah's case, the assailant locked her in her personal office and then carefully walked around the rest of the building, closing windows and locking the front door. If she had her Glock in her office, he would have found a nasty confrontation when he returned to attack her.
You sound very courageous, in that you feel you could disarm somebody very easily. Candidly, it is possible. I teach those techniques and it requires much disciplined practice, considerable confidence, speed and precision to do it safely. With the hammer cocked, most handguns will fire with only minimal pressure on the trigger, and the movement that action requires is much less than the movement to reach out and take the gun away. If the person with the firearm maintains his/her distance, the person encroaching WILL BE SHOT.
Most importantly, as the statistics from John Lott, Gary Kleck, and a host of other criminologists show, the mere presence of a firearm deters most criminals, usually without the gun being discharged. No one wants to get shot, and criminals are not brave people. They run away.
The facts are clear and irrefutable. In her situation, if Deborah had been armed, she wouldn't have been raped.
And I would challenge you to take a loaded handgun away from her. Knowing her current attitude and aptitude, I am confident that you would have at least one more hole in you than before the attempt.
Regards,
TJ Johnston
www.allsafedefense.com
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Bloggers: Have You Applied for Your Reporting License?
One of the more shopworn arguments in the civilian disarmament playbook says the Founders were talking about muskets when they penned the Second Amendment, and they could not possibly have conceived of the terrible firepower of today’s weaponry—to which our side generally replies they couldn’t have conceived of modern communications technology when establishing the First Amendment, yet no one is suggesting limits on free speech.
Right.
While bloggers have rightly bared their teeth at the recent McCain-Feingold trial balloon, there’s another looming threat that hasn’t generated much of a response on 2A sites I frequent: the state assuming it is the sole arbiter of who among us will be recognized as a “journalist.”
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg has again raised this issue, and we need to pay attention to his ruling, especially the part where he writes “Defining what is a 'journalist' has become more complicated as the variety of media has expanded."
Judge, I don’t see that being your call. You have no legitimate authority to issue de facto reporting permits. The only argument in this case should be whether the rights of another, in this case, Apple, via alleged theft and dissemination of their proprietary trade secrets, have been violated.
We all know of the many instances where the internet community covers vital liberty issues that are ignored by the lapdog Establishment press, especially in its coverage of citizens persecuted for taking the Second Amendment at its word. Case in point--don’t expect CBS or The Los Angeles Times to tell us about BATFU incompetence almost destroying a man’s life.
If we independents are muffled, the only thing you’ll hear about such cases is how an antisocial threat to society has been removed by heroic community helpers.
How very Red Chinese.
Right.
While bloggers have rightly bared their teeth at the recent McCain-Feingold trial balloon, there’s another looming threat that hasn’t generated much of a response on 2A sites I frequent: the state assuming it is the sole arbiter of who among us will be recognized as a “journalist.”
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg has again raised this issue, and we need to pay attention to his ruling, especially the part where he writes “Defining what is a 'journalist' has become more complicated as the variety of media has expanded."
Judge, I don’t see that being your call. You have no legitimate authority to issue de facto reporting permits. The only argument in this case should be whether the rights of another, in this case, Apple, via alleged theft and dissemination of their proprietary trade secrets, have been violated.
We all know of the many instances where the internet community covers vital liberty issues that are ignored by the lapdog Establishment press, especially in its coverage of citizens persecuted for taking the Second Amendment at its word. Case in point--don’t expect CBS or The Los Angeles Times to tell us about BATFU incompetence almost destroying a man’s life.
If we independents are muffled, the only thing you’ll hear about such cases is how an antisocial threat to society has been removed by heroic community helpers.
How very Red Chinese.
I’m a Lumberjack and I’m Okay…
Kyle Shelton, who foolishly believes he possesses both wit and insight, scribed a panty-wringing warning against guns in bars for a student rag called The Lumberjack.
“As soon as guns are allowed in bars,” he snipes, “…guns in schools can't be far behind.”
Uh, yeah.
Comments from site visitors were going swimmingly until Kumbaya-soloist “Rachel” chimed in:
"People feeling they need to carry concealed weapons is a sad testimony of the time we live in—it’s not sad because crime rates have escalated, but because people’s thinking has shifted so dramatically, from loving their neighbor to suddenly being afraid of him."
Kids.
“As soon as guns are allowed in bars,” he snipes, “…guns in schools can't be far behind.”
Uh, yeah.
Comments from site visitors were going swimmingly until Kumbaya-soloist “Rachel” chimed in:
"People feeling they need to carry concealed weapons is a sad testimony of the time we live in—it’s not sad because crime rates have escalated, but because people’s thinking has shifted so dramatically, from loving their neighbor to suddenly being afraid of him."
Kids.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Bravo to women who defend themselves
“Bravo. A standing ovation for Deborah Courtney, the rape victim who has learned how to defend herself with her Glock 9 mm. She redefines the term ‘gun control’ [‘Steady aim, steel will,’ News, March 5].”
Read complete letter.
[Use Bug Me Not to bypass OCR’s site registration.]
The War on Guns is hard at work deconstructing another letter that was not so kind. Stay tuned…
Read complete letter.
[Use Bug Me Not to bypass OCR’s site registration.]
The War on Guns is hard at work deconstructing another letter that was not so kind. Stay tuned…
Friday, March 11, 2005
Some Unambiguous Questions for Gun Industry Lawsuit Advocates
Here is a direct question—I DEFY anyone from the civilian disarmament camp to publicly and unequivocally provide a “yes" or “no” answer.
If someone buys a gun or ammunition, and either malfunction causing injury or property damage, can the victim(s) sue the manufacturer responsible for the product defect?
YES or NO?
The answer, of course, is “Yes,” and they know it. We’ve always been able to do so. There is no exemption or shielding from liability. To suggest otherwise is yet another example of prevarication everyone has come to expect.
Here’s another question: If Sarah Brady’s son accidentally or intentionally shoots someone with the rifle she bought him, should the victims be able to sue the gun manufacturer?
If someone buys a gun or ammunition, and either malfunction causing injury or property damage, can the victim(s) sue the manufacturer responsible for the product defect?
YES or NO?
The answer, of course, is “Yes,” and they know it. We’ve always been able to do so. There is no exemption or shielding from liability. To suggest otherwise is yet another example of prevarication everyone has come to expect.
Here’s another question: If Sarah Brady’s son accidentally or intentionally shoots someone with the rifle she bought him, should the victims be able to sue the gun manufacturer?
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Open Letter to "Rabbi" Eric H. Yoffie, President, Union of American Hebrew Congregations
In response to http://urj.org/yoffie/archive/mmm/
“Rabbi” Yoffie:
(PresUAHC@urj.org)
You are neither a master nor a teacher.
What a traitor to Jews and to all of humanity you are, calling for “gun control.” You are either evil or a fool.
You do not deserve the freedoms of this country, established in powder, steel and blood by armed citizens risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, to resist tyranny. In their wisdom, they codified our unalienable claim to the tools of self determination and defense on both a personal and a societal level by recognizing the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and by putting lawful infringement of this right off limits to government.
You are nothing but a genocide enabler. You make a mockery of the phrase “Never again.” The evil policies you endorse guarantee that mass murder of citizens by governments will indeed happen again.
The people of the Warsaw ghetto listened to false leaders like you until it was too late. The lesson taught by a small band with the courage not to listen shook the Third Reich to its core, and should have resounded with Jewish people forever.
I won’t waste my time trying to persuade you. If I had the slightest inkling that you are not an anti-defense fanatic, I would point you to Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. If I thought it would make a bit of difference, I would urge you to obtain a copy of Innocents Betrayed. But I don’t believe you are redeemable.
So what I will do instead is warn people against you, that if they listen to you, they will be powerless to prevent this from happening to themselves or their loved ones.
People like me will NEVER disarm as long as we draw breath, so I leave you with one question: How many of us are you willing to have the state persecute, imprison or kill to enforce your will against us?
With disgust and contempt,
David Codrea
“Rabbi” Yoffie:
(PresUAHC@urj.org)
You are neither a master nor a teacher.
What a traitor to Jews and to all of humanity you are, calling for “gun control.” You are either evil or a fool.
You do not deserve the freedoms of this country, established in powder, steel and blood by armed citizens risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, to resist tyranny. In their wisdom, they codified our unalienable claim to the tools of self determination and defense on both a personal and a societal level by recognizing the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and by putting lawful infringement of this right off limits to government.
You are nothing but a genocide enabler. You make a mockery of the phrase “Never again.” The evil policies you endorse guarantee that mass murder of citizens by governments will indeed happen again.
The people of the Warsaw ghetto listened to false leaders like you until it was too late. The lesson taught by a small band with the courage not to listen shook the Third Reich to its core, and should have resounded with Jewish people forever.
I won’t waste my time trying to persuade you. If I had the slightest inkling that you are not an anti-defense fanatic, I would point you to Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. If I thought it would make a bit of difference, I would urge you to obtain a copy of Innocents Betrayed. But I don’t believe you are redeemable.
So what I will do instead is warn people against you, that if they listen to you, they will be powerless to prevent this from happening to themselves or their loved ones.
People like me will NEVER disarm as long as we draw breath, so I leave you with one question: How many of us are you willing to have the state persecute, imprison or kill to enforce your will against us?
With disgust and contempt,
David Codrea
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
The Eloi Award
I wrote an article for the Jan. 2000 Millenium issue of GUNS AND AMMO Magazine titled "The New Eloi."
Using H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine" as a metaphor, it made the argument that "society has fragmented into three distinct groups, the provide-all/control-all state, the provided-for/controlled general populace, and the increasingly besieged self-determining/self-controlling rationalist individual. Or, in terms of Wells' prescient speculative fantasy, we could identify these as the Morlocks, the Eloi, and the Time Traveller."
Markeeta Gould is a Mansfield, OH, woman who was "jailed for failure to file a 2001 city income tax bill totaling 96 cents…[she]earned $55 that year…on Feb. 19, she was arrested in front of her children."
He reaction? Was she outraged? Has she comprehended the loss of her sovereign individual rights, and has she been galvanized to fight against the blatant tyranny of a system where such outcomes are inevitable?
“Gould said she was embarrassed to be arrested.
"‘I'm a mother and I'm a law-abiding citizen,’ she said. ‘I paid my taxes every year before and I paid my taxes every year after. With me getting arrested, I could lose my job.’"
Ms. Gould, you are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. You get The War on Guns' Eloi Award (I may make this a monthly feature).
And our Morlock of the Month Award goes to Mansfield Finance Director Sandra Converse, who claimed the Nuremberg Defense, saying she is bound by city filing policy.
"We don't know what people owe if they do not file. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't enforce this,” Converse claims.
So, Sandra, you financial genius—how much of the people’s money would you say you’ve spent in your insane quest to recover 96 cents?
To borrow a metaphor from another work of Classic literature, Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," at least the fanatically obsessive Javert had the good sense to throw himself off a bridge.
Using H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine" as a metaphor, it made the argument that "society has fragmented into three distinct groups, the provide-all/control-all state, the provided-for/controlled general populace, and the increasingly besieged self-determining/self-controlling rationalist individual. Or, in terms of Wells' prescient speculative fantasy, we could identify these as the Morlocks, the Eloi, and the Time Traveller."
Markeeta Gould is a Mansfield, OH, woman who was "jailed for failure to file a 2001 city income tax bill totaling 96 cents…[she]earned $55 that year…on Feb. 19, she was arrested in front of her children."
He reaction? Was she outraged? Has she comprehended the loss of her sovereign individual rights, and has she been galvanized to fight against the blatant tyranny of a system where such outcomes are inevitable?
“Gould said she was embarrassed to be arrested.
"‘I'm a mother and I'm a law-abiding citizen,’ she said. ‘I paid my taxes every year before and I paid my taxes every year after. With me getting arrested, I could lose my job.’"
Ms. Gould, you are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. You get The War on Guns' Eloi Award (I may make this a monthly feature).
And our Morlock of the Month Award goes to Mansfield Finance Director Sandra Converse, who claimed the Nuremberg Defense, saying she is bound by city filing policy.
"We don't know what people owe if they do not file. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't enforce this,” Converse claims.
So, Sandra, you financial genius—how much of the people’s money would you say you’ve spent in your insane quest to recover 96 cents?
To borrow a metaphor from another work of Classic literature, Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," at least the fanatically obsessive Javert had the good sense to throw himself off a bridge.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Credit Card Fraud Hits New High Despite Chip and PIN
Now substitute the phrase “Crime Using Guns” for “Credit Card Fraud,” and you’ll have some idea of where so-called “smart gun” technology will surely take us.
Here are some observations from a few years back.
Here are some observations from a few years back.
Vanishing Point Reappears Today
“Charles Robert Carner’s action-packed remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point' roars onto DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, March 8, 2005. Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) stars as Kowalski, the lone hero in the Dodge Challenger who leads an army of lawmen on a wild car chase across the American West…”
Read my review to see why liberty activists should give a damn.
Read my review to see why liberty activists should give a damn.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Capture the Flag!
My U.S. Representative, Jane Harman, is one of the most anti-gun members of Congress. Holding press conferences with Sarah Brady to promote more gun laws, she campaigned on the slogan "I wear my opposition [to believers in the Second Amendment] like a badge of honor."
So why in the world did I send her a check? And why do I encourage all RKBA supporters to follow suit with their own representative?
One of the constituent services that Congress provides to "We the People" is a program that lets you fly a commemorative flag over the nation's Capitol building. For a nominal fee (I paid about thirteen bucks) you can specify one of a couple different flag sizes and materials, the date you want your flag flown, and why you are flying it.
I asked for the flag to be flown on April 19 with the notation:
"In tribute to the Citizen Patriots of Lexington and Concord who resisted confiscation of their armaments on this date in 1775, and in continued defiance of all who would infringe on the Right of the People to keep and bear arms."
I can think of many other homages, such as "In loving memory of the children of Mount Carmel," or "For Vicki and Sammy Weaver," or numerous other events warranting commemoration. I'm sure you can, too.
Whether your Representative chooses to process the orders or return them, a point will have been made (and I'm still not clear what their options are for refusing to do so). If enough of us follow suit, it can be a powerful point. Their choice will be to fly our flags in defiance of their statist policies or to create a public record of suppressing alternative political sentiments. And it will either cost you nothing, or, for a nominal price you'll get a beautiful flag and a commemorative certificate signed by the Architect of the Capitol. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you sent your Congressthing a strong, no-compromise statement of principle, and maybe even made him or her squirm.
Why not contact your Representative and ask for an order form? Let's all fly a flag for freedom!
Sunday, March 06, 2005
In the Fight Against Terrorism, Some Rights Must Be Repealed
A Muslim thinks we need to get rid of the right to keep and bear arms in order to fight the war on terror.
This same Muslim, who decries stereotyping his co-religionists, has no problem libeling those of us who rightfully embrace the original intent of the Founders:
“Today," he states authoritatively, "only a handful of citizens outside of neo-nazi and white supremacist groups view gun ownership as a means of keeping the government in check.”
In other words, he demands tolerance for people who agree with him, and armed suppression of those who don't. And just to ensure his point is made, he demonizes us and emphasizes what he says is our minority status. What a unique and new philosophy! I'm sure no one's ever tried that before.
“Junaid M. Afeef," his tag line states, "is a Research Associate at the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding.”
Great way to promote “understanding,” Mr. Afeef. Do you understand “Molon Labe”?
You can help promote Mr. Afeef's understanding of American social policy by contacting him at junaid.afeef@gmail.com. Just be careful--he seems like the type to start something and then report you if he gets the response he deserves.
This same Muslim, who decries stereotyping his co-religionists, has no problem libeling those of us who rightfully embrace the original intent of the Founders:
“Today," he states authoritatively, "only a handful of citizens outside of neo-nazi and white supremacist groups view gun ownership as a means of keeping the government in check.”
In other words, he demands tolerance for people who agree with him, and armed suppression of those who don't. And just to ensure his point is made, he demonizes us and emphasizes what he says is our minority status. What a unique and new philosophy! I'm sure no one's ever tried that before.
“Junaid M. Afeef," his tag line states, "is a Research Associate at the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding.”
Great way to promote “understanding,” Mr. Afeef. Do you understand “Molon Labe”?
You can help promote Mr. Afeef's understanding of American social policy by contacting him at junaid.afeef@gmail.com. Just be careful--he seems like the type to start something and then report you if he gets the response he deserves.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
"Steady Aim, Steel Will"
Congratulations to Liberty Belle, victims' rights advocate, and genuinely nice person Deborah Courtney for making the front page of the Orange County Register.
(If you want to bypass the OCR site’s registration, try BugMeNot.)
(If you want to bypass the OCR site’s registration, try BugMeNot.)
The Blogger Rebellion
The two graphics posted below have quickly emerged as standards to rally under against the government's latest threat to free speech.
There's also a sound file I highly recommend that provides a succinct motto for the cause, courtesy of Mr. Garrison.
Courtesy Feces Flinging Monkey.
Courtesy GeekWithA.45.
There's also a sound file I highly recommend that provides a succinct motto for the cause, courtesy of Mr. Garrison.
Courtesy Feces Flinging Monkey.
Courtesy GeekWithA.45.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Judge Creates Special Class of Journalist--Just Because He Says So
"A California judge said in a preliminary ruling that bloggers should not have the same protection afforded to journalists under US law."
First we have the federal judicial opinion that bloggers should be subject to McCain-Feingold restrictions on political speech.
Now we have another black-robed traitor applying the pincers from a different angle at the state level.
Not only do these treasonous bastards trash the First Amendment, they're now set to create a special class of super-privileged citizens in violation of equal protection guarantees and the Constitution they swore a sacred oath to uphold.
For the record: If I give a guarantee of confidentiality, I will honor it. I will go to jail before I betray a trust, providing I survive the encounter. But I won't go quietly.
The neo-ayatollahs in charge can go apply their Iranian strong-arm terror tactics on someone who isn't fed up.
If someone wants to start a blogger pledge to this effect, I'll sign it.
First we have the federal judicial opinion that bloggers should be subject to McCain-Feingold restrictions on political speech.
Now we have another black-robed traitor applying the pincers from a different angle at the state level.
Not only do these treasonous bastards trash the First Amendment, they're now set to create a special class of super-privileged citizens in violation of equal protection guarantees and the Constitution they swore a sacred oath to uphold.
For the record: If I give a guarantee of confidentiality, I will honor it. I will go to jail before I betray a trust, providing I survive the encounter. But I won't go quietly.
The neo-ayatollahs in charge can go apply their Iranian strong-arm terror tactics on someone who isn't fed up.
If someone wants to start a blogger pledge to this effect, I'll sign it.
FishOrMan Update
"The Spokane case is done. The plea deal was agreed to, (although the prosecutor in Ellensburg tried to get the prosecutor in Spokane to take the plea off the table!). The Ellensburg case of course is of main concern now, Trial set April 8th.
"If you didn't know the Spokane case was two criminal charges, (reckless driving and loaded gun in a car without permit). With the plea they were both dropped and a plea agreement was enter for two driving infractions, (neg. driving 2nd degree and failure to use turn signal). Finally, the gun was forfeited as part of the plea, (and my guess is the county is broke because they didn't reduce the fine with the forfeiture of a rather expensive Colt 1991A1). Total fine is $953, payable at $25 a month.
"I cannot say I am 'happy' with deal. Although,reading the 4 page letter I received from my lawyer on the possiblities at trial, (and $5000 cost for trial), it was the only 'smart' option." --FishOrMan
"If you didn't know the Spokane case was two criminal charges, (reckless driving and loaded gun in a car without permit). With the plea they were both dropped and a plea agreement was enter for two driving infractions, (neg. driving 2nd degree and failure to use turn signal). Finally, the gun was forfeited as part of the plea, (and my guess is the county is broke because they didn't reduce the fine with the forfeiture of a rather expensive Colt 1991A1). Total fine is $953, payable at $25 a month.
"I cannot say I am 'happy' with deal. Although,reading the 4 page letter I received from my lawyer on the possiblities at trial, (and $5000 cost for trial), it was the only 'smart' option." --FishOrMan
A Line in the Sand
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly opines "the exclusion of Internet communications from the coordinated communications regulation severely undermines" McCain-Feingold. Now the FEC is talking about bringing the hammer down on bloggers who link to political campaign websites.
The links to Ron Paul and Tom McClintock stay in the column on the left. If and when an enforcement effort begins, more links will go up.
"This is an incredible thicket," says Bradley Smith, an FEC Commissioner. "If someone else doesn't take action, for instance in Congress, we're running a real possibility of serious Internet regulation. It's going to be bizarre."
Bradley, are you a Commissioner first and an American second? "An incredible thicket"??? Jesus, man, it's an act of war.
And we should all remember to thank George W. Bush for refusing to honor his oath and veto legislation he knew was unconstitutional.
The hell with these tyrants. Like they can arrest every one of us who defy this act of treachery and despotism. What an opportunity to demonstrate how impotent they are when met with mass resistance.
We need some kind of symbol we can post on our blogs, websites and emails that defines us as resistors to this tyranny.
The links to Ron Paul and Tom McClintock stay in the column on the left. If and when an enforcement effort begins, more links will go up.
"This is an incredible thicket," says Bradley Smith, an FEC Commissioner. "If someone else doesn't take action, for instance in Congress, we're running a real possibility of serious Internet regulation. It's going to be bizarre."
Bradley, are you a Commissioner first and an American second? "An incredible thicket"??? Jesus, man, it's an act of war.
And we should all remember to thank George W. Bush for refusing to honor his oath and veto legislation he knew was unconstitutional.
The hell with these tyrants. Like they can arrest every one of us who defy this act of treachery and despotism. What an opportunity to demonstrate how impotent they are when met with mass resistance.
We need some kind of symbol we can post on our blogs, websites and emails that defines us as resistors to this tyranny.
Hole Blown in Howard Fischer's Credibility
"Hole blown in concealed weapon law
"By HOWARD FISCHER
"Capitol Media Services
"PHOENIX -- The House of Representatives voted Tuesday to let people carry weapons -- including guns, grenades, rockets, mines and sawed-off shotguns -- into schools, polling places and nuclear plants if they claim they're only trying to protect themselves."
Howard--were you born stupid, or is this something you've worked at?
"By HOWARD FISCHER
"Capitol Media Services
"PHOENIX -- The House of Representatives voted Tuesday to let people carry weapons -- including guns, grenades, rockets, mines and sawed-off shotguns -- into schools, polling places and nuclear plants if they claim they're only trying to protect themselves."
Howard--were you born stupid, or is this something you've worked at?
NRA Response to Gun Control Lobby`s Irresponsible Statement
"It is pathetic to see the gun control lobby make hysterical statements to resurrect their failed political agenda. According to the BATFE, this armor-piercing ammunition is only available to the military and police. The Brady Campaign continues to deceive the American people in their effort to ban firearm ownership by all law-abiding Americans."
It's also pathetic that the nation's largest gun group isn't challenging unconstitutional edicts that deny to the militia the same ammunition the state provides to its enforcers.
It's also pathetic that the nation's largest gun group isn't challenging unconstitutional edicts that deny to the militia the same ammunition the state provides to its enforcers.
Victor /Victoria
"As the gaggle of gun enthusiasts with their assorted handguns sitting openly on their hips dined on hamburgers and chicken tenders at the Fuddruckers restaurant in Annandale, Victor Castellon's eyes grew wide with concern.
"'I've got to be careful with these guys because they've got guns,' he said..."
Victor, Victor, Victor.
Not used to seeing free men?
Are the only men you wish to see armed wearing badges?
Yeah, you've got to be careful. That's the point. Did you never read Heinlein?
"'I've got to be careful with these guys because they've got guns,' he said..."
Victor, Victor, Victor.
Not used to seeing free men?
Are the only men you wish to see armed wearing badges?
Yeah, you've got to be careful. That's the point. Did you never read Heinlein?
Another Brady, Bill
"State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, announced formation of an exploratory committee Tuesday to run for governor, saying “Illinois must do better” than having the state run by Democrat Rod Blagojevich...He said the state could abandon issuance of firearm owners’ identification cards by denoting on a driver’s license whether the driver can legally own a gun."
Why would you want someone you don't trust with a gun driving a car? Shouldn't such people be in custodial care?
Why would you want someone you don't trust with a gun driving a car? Shouldn't such people be in custodial care?
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Another 48 Hours
Our good friends over at the Maryland General Assembly are enacting "The Police Officers Protection Bill," which will require gun owners to report stolen weapons within 48 hours of discovering the theft. If you don't, say, if you report it in 49 hours, they could technically add to your woes by fining you up to $5,000 AND imprisoning you for up to 3 years.
Among the bill's sponsors--a stooge named "Moe" (Why, you, I oughtta...) and someone named "Bobo," who I can only assume is actually not a sign-talking chimp. (Press the green button, Bobo!)
But remember--this is to guarantee police officer safety. Just to prove it, and to gin up flock sympathy, Annapolis' The Capital presents us with one-sided testimony from two officers horribly wounded in the line of duty by criminals with stolen firearms. The reporterette doesn't think to question exactly how this bill would have prevented these crimes, nor the extreme unlikelihood that filing a report would result in a stolen weapon being recovered. And forget asking the basic question: whose property is it, anyway?
There's one other factor that seems to have been overlooked in their zeal to exploit pity into a stronger police state: What if a defiant Patriot has retained possession of a weapon that Moe and Bobo have ruled verboten? Wouldn't being forced to report it stolen also force him to surrender his right against self-incrimination?
Oh well, there's no longer any Second Amendment in Maryland. What makes us think there should be a Fifth?
And there's yet another interesting dilemma this creates: What if the thugs stealing your firearms work for the government?
Among the bill's sponsors--a stooge named "Moe" (Why, you, I oughtta...) and someone named "Bobo," who I can only assume is actually not a sign-talking chimp. (Press the green button, Bobo!)
But remember--this is to guarantee police officer safety. Just to prove it, and to gin up flock sympathy, Annapolis' The Capital presents us with one-sided testimony from two officers horribly wounded in the line of duty by criminals with stolen firearms. The reporterette doesn't think to question exactly how this bill would have prevented these crimes, nor the extreme unlikelihood that filing a report would result in a stolen weapon being recovered. And forget asking the basic question: whose property is it, anyway?
There's one other factor that seems to have been overlooked in their zeal to exploit pity into a stronger police state: What if a defiant Patriot has retained possession of a weapon that Moe and Bobo have ruled verboten? Wouldn't being forced to report it stolen also force him to surrender his right against self-incrimination?
Oh well, there's no longer any Second Amendment in Maryland. What makes us think there should be a Fifth?
And there's yet another interesting dilemma this creates: What if the thugs stealing your firearms work for the government?
Bug Me Not
This is a cool tool to get you through web pages requiring registration. It's a real time-saver for doing research.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
A Little Bit of “Sunshine”
By now you’ve no doubt heard about the “Million Mom” who was arrested for having an “illegal” gun.
She says it was her son’s, and she just wrapped it up and left it in a drawer because she didn’t know what to do with it.
Claire Wolfe quotes Rich Lucibella: “If she doesn't know what to do with a gun in her own home, HOW ON EARTH can she purport to know what I should do with mine?”
It’s true. The gun grabbers have always made me recall that powerful and defiant promise from folk singer Jonathan Edwards’ 1972 hit “Sunshine”:
He can't even run his own life
I'll be damned if he'll run mine...
I’ll be damned if any of them will.
She says it was her son’s, and she just wrapped it up and left it in a drawer because she didn’t know what to do with it.
Claire Wolfe quotes Rich Lucibella: “If she doesn't know what to do with a gun in her own home, HOW ON EARTH can she purport to know what I should do with mine?”
It’s true. The gun grabbers have always made me recall that powerful and defiant promise from folk singer Jonathan Edwards’ 1972 hit “Sunshine”:
He can't even run his own life
I'll be damned if he'll run mine...
I’ll be damned if any of them will.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Cops Find All Objects in the Physical World Alarming
“The soft-air gun that was fired on a Thunder Bay school bus Wednesday is considered a firearm, Thunder Bay Police said…
“‘I think it’s fair to call it a firearm,’ police spokesman Chris Adams said Friday.
”It could be considered a weapon if it was used in a threatening or criminal manner, he added.”
Me, I find ignorance on the part of “authoritah” alarming. And dangerous to the lives, liberty and property of free people.
Yo, Chris--no, it is certainly not fair:
"Main Entry: fire•arm
"Pronunciation: 'fIr-"ärm
"Function: noun
": a weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder -- usually used of small arms"
And for the record, anything “could be considered a weapon if it was used in a threatening or criminal manner.”
Not to alarm you and the rest of Thunder Bay’s finest...
“‘I think it’s fair to call it a firearm,’ police spokesman Chris Adams said Friday.
”It could be considered a weapon if it was used in a threatening or criminal manner, he added.”
Me, I find ignorance on the part of “authoritah” alarming. And dangerous to the lives, liberty and property of free people.
Yo, Chris--no, it is certainly not fair:
"Main Entry: fire•arm
"Pronunciation: 'fIr-"ärm
"Function: noun
": a weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder -- usually used of small arms"
And for the record, anything “could be considered a weapon if it was used in a threatening or criminal manner.”
Not to alarm you and the rest of Thunder Bay’s finest...
Shameless Plug: "Thinking of England"
"Can we sneer at the prosecution of Tony Martin and forget about Hale DeMar, the Wilmette, IL, homeowner who shot a burglar and was then charged by officials for violating the village’s handgun ban?"
"Thinking of England" is my Rights Watch commentary for the April issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale starting today at discriminating newsstands across the kingdom...uh...Republic.
"Thinking of England" is my Rights Watch commentary for the April issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale starting today at discriminating newsstands across the kingdom...uh...Republic.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Addendum to "BATFE Fails the Constitution"...
Out of deference to Aaron Zelman and JPFO, some of my commentary was toned down a tad so they can use it to promote their new video.
Here's something that didn't make it into my review:
I have taken to referring to the gungrabbing federal goons as "BATFU." I'd like to see this usage spread--if for no other reason than to promulgate disrespect for these wretched thugs. (If anyone claims prior usage of this term, let me know-- I thunk it up all by my own self, and couldn't find any prior references on Google.)
Because of their sheer incompetence, I was also gonna say something about "jackboobs," but thought better of it...
Here's something that didn't make it into my review:
I have taken to referring to the gungrabbing federal goons as "BATFU." I'd like to see this usage spread--if for no other reason than to promulgate disrespect for these wretched thugs. (If anyone claims prior usage of this term, let me know-- I thunk it up all by my own self, and couldn't find any prior references on Google.)
Because of their sheer incompetence, I was also gonna say something about "jackboobs," but thought better of it...
BATFE Fails the Constitution
“JPFO'S NEW DVD, ‘BATFE FAILS THE TEST’ has apparently got the gun goons shaking in their boots. Unable to counter the blatant evidence that their ‘experts’ are unscientific bumblers who don't even understand firearms, ATF agents are now spreading the rumor that the footage is fake.
“HA! When you see it you know that the only thing "fake" about it is the BATFE's ‘expertise.’ I'm in awe of Len Savage (the real firearms expert you'll see in the film) having the guts to take these goons on.”—Claire Wolfe
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership has once again proven it deserves the reputation for producing the most innovative educational materials for educating Americans about our right to keep and bear arms. They have followed up the gut-wrenching historical documentary "Innocents Betrayed" with another outstanding and infuriating video, "BATFE Fails the Test."
Competition shooter John Glover is an ordinary American who is fascinated by firearms--to the point where he learned gunsmithing and began assembling and selling guns from kits.
Enter the federal gun grabbers. Seven of his rifles are seized and Glover is charged with manufacturing and selling a machine gun. In other words, the federal government has decided Mr. Glover is a criminal, and it sets out to steal his property and destroy his life.
"BATFE Fails the Test" is raw video footage of BATFE Agent Michael Cooney, the supposed expert who wrote the report declaring one of the weapons a machinegun, saying that it fired “automatically more than one shot without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger.” We see Agent Cooney at a police firing range in North Carolina, demonstrating the weapon's operation. There's just one problem--he can't get it to fire full auto.
Twelve attempts produce just two incidents of string fire, which Glover's defense team firearms expert, Len Savage, declares a "malfunction." Cooney doesn't want to hear it, and becomes increasingly irritated and defensive as Savage challenges his "expertise." Savage then analyzes the disassembled weapon parts on camera, and sure enough, just as he predicted on the range, firing pin components are worn, causing the occasional string fire malfunction.
The thing could have blown up in the "competent" government "expert's" face, but he was too oblivious to realize it.
The upside for Mr. Glover is all charges against him were dismissed. The downside, in addition to having his life turned inside out and having the fear of government put into him, is that he is left in debt from fighting a legal battle that should never have taken place--plus, the BATFE has refused to return his rightful property.
Gun owners need to see this to believe it, so that we understand this could happen to any of us--own a semiauto rifle that needs some gunsmith work and we could be declared felons and pursued with vengeance. And if we're not fortunate enough to be able to afford mounting a competent defense against the unlimited resources of the federal government, our lives will be destroyed.
You owe it to yourself to get this outrageous and infuriating video, and to understand what power the Michael Cooneys of the world have assumed over us.
Read the Shotgun News article: VITAL WARNING TO ALL OWNERS OF SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS
Order your own copy of "BATFE Fails the Test" on VHS or DVD:
http://jpfo.org/batfevideo.htm
“HA! When you see it you know that the only thing "fake" about it is the BATFE's ‘expertise.’ I'm in awe of Len Savage (the real firearms expert you'll see in the film) having the guts to take these goons on.”—Claire Wolfe
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership has once again proven it deserves the reputation for producing the most innovative educational materials for educating Americans about our right to keep and bear arms. They have followed up the gut-wrenching historical documentary "Innocents Betrayed" with another outstanding and infuriating video, "BATFE Fails the Test."
Competition shooter John Glover is an ordinary American who is fascinated by firearms--to the point where he learned gunsmithing and began assembling and selling guns from kits.
Enter the federal gun grabbers. Seven of his rifles are seized and Glover is charged with manufacturing and selling a machine gun. In other words, the federal government has decided Mr. Glover is a criminal, and it sets out to steal his property and destroy his life.
"BATFE Fails the Test" is raw video footage of BATFE Agent Michael Cooney, the supposed expert who wrote the report declaring one of the weapons a machinegun, saying that it fired “automatically more than one shot without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger.” We see Agent Cooney at a police firing range in North Carolina, demonstrating the weapon's operation. There's just one problem--he can't get it to fire full auto.
Twelve attempts produce just two incidents of string fire, which Glover's defense team firearms expert, Len Savage, declares a "malfunction." Cooney doesn't want to hear it, and becomes increasingly irritated and defensive as Savage challenges his "expertise." Savage then analyzes the disassembled weapon parts on camera, and sure enough, just as he predicted on the range, firing pin components are worn, causing the occasional string fire malfunction.
The thing could have blown up in the "competent" government "expert's" face, but he was too oblivious to realize it.
The upside for Mr. Glover is all charges against him were dismissed. The downside, in addition to having his life turned inside out and having the fear of government put into him, is that he is left in debt from fighting a legal battle that should never have taken place--plus, the BATFE has refused to return his rightful property.
Gun owners need to see this to believe it, so that we understand this could happen to any of us--own a semiauto rifle that needs some gunsmith work and we could be declared felons and pursued with vengeance. And if we're not fortunate enough to be able to afford mounting a competent defense against the unlimited resources of the federal government, our lives will be destroyed.
You owe it to yourself to get this outrageous and infuriating video, and to understand what power the Michael Cooneys of the world have assumed over us.
Read the Shotgun News article: VITAL WARNING TO ALL OWNERS OF SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS
Order your own copy of "BATFE Fails the Test" on VHS or DVD:
http://jpfo.org/batfevideo.htm
Sunday, February 27, 2005
REMINDER: Carner on "Standing Up for America" Tonight
Charles Robert Carner will be the featured guest on 'Standing Up For America' with Rick Stanley, tonight at 7:00 PM MST, to discuss his remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point'.
To listen, go to http://www.stanley2002.org and click on the link at the top of the main page for the Radio Network.
To listen, go to http://www.stanley2002.org and click on the link at the top of the main page for the Radio Network.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Why I Love Guns
By Charles Robert Carner
Guns. I love guns. Guns in the hands of private citizens are the best means for defense of home and family against criminals, and for restraining the tyrannical tendencies of government.
Guns save lives. All across the United States, from cities to suburbs to towns and rural hamlets, guns are used every day to prevent crime, protect property and deter predators. Guns allow women to walk alone without fear of assault. Guns protect policemen, and help them protect the citizens they watch over. Guns protect political leaders, prominent businessmen, celebrities, cabbies, bank guards and jewelry merchants. Every day, all day and all night, guns make it possible for people to perform risky but necessary work, and to remain alive and safe while so doing.
Guns ensure freedom. From Bunker Hill to the Battle of the Bulge, men with guns have fought oppression and liberated nations. Guns made the extraordinary philosophical vision of America’s founders possible in the real world. Without guns, Thomas Paine’s stirring call to action in Common Sense would have remained mere rhetoric – or led to futile rebellion. Guns freed the slaves in America’s Civil War. Guns stopped Hitler’s mad dream of world conquest, and Tojo’s planned Pacific empire. Guns liberated Africa from colonial chains; Africans served their masters at war – then applied the weapons and tactics they learned in distant battles to win their freedom at home. Conversely, when citizens are denied the right to own guns, oppression often follows. In the 20th century – the bloodiest in human history – genocide from Armenia to Cambodia was in each case preceded by stripping the citizens of their arms.
Guns are beautiful. From pinfire pistols to Kentucky rifles, from Samuel Colt’s "equalizer" to the H&K battle rifle, guns are gorgeous physical objects, pleasing to the mind and the senses. To hold a 1911 model .45 in one’s hand is to experience ergonomic delight; to field-strip an FN-FAL is to thrill at the elegance of its engineering and the profound simplicity of its design. From the venerable Browning Hi-Power to the cutting-edge titanium revolvers of this new millennium, from the storied Lee-Enfield to the sexy new Steyr Scout, guns give eloquent testimony to the genius of man.
Guns are fun. From plinking with a Ruger Mark II to thundering away with a .44 Magnum, from cocking the lever on a Winchester 94 to feeding the belt into a 1919 Browning, recreational shooting is one of the most enjoyable sports ever devised. It is also one of the only sports in which age and athleticism hardly matter at all. A petite grandmother can shoot just as well as a massive linebacker; all it takes is a little practice.
Guns are teaching tools. Learning to shoot means learning discipline, respect and the right way to do things. Learning to handle guns means learning to master fear, and builds confidence. You don’t just shoot the gun. Afterwards, there is the joy of field-stripping, cleaning and maintaining your firearm. It’s easy to do (unlike, for example, performing maintenance on your car after taking it for a drive), and you learn how the weapon operates. Guns teach us about history. Do the serial number and cartouche on that old M-1 Garand mean it was used to liberate Europe from the Nazis? It may very well indeed. Was that nicked-up German Mauser refitted to .308 by the Israelis to help establish the Jewish homeland? What a satisfying irony! Go to a gun show, and seek out the display of Revolutionary War-era rifles. Each whorl in the stock, each unique, handcrafted metal band and stud, reminds us of the courageous individual Americans who took up arms, shed blood and gave blood to hand down the legacy of freedom we now take for granted.
Guns provide peace of mind. From the rancher protecting his stock from wolves, to the night clerk protecting his shop from hoodlums, from the homeowner protecting his lifelong investment from thieves, to the soccer mom protecting her child from molesters, guns provide security during waking hours, and a sound sleep at night.
Times change, fashions shift, political theories come and go. Crime rises, crime falls. Felons serve hard time, or plea-bargain their way to continued mischief. What never changes is human nature. There will always be those who devote their energies to taking what isn’t rightfully theirs, whether it be property or human life. There will always be despots who seek to rule by force rather than consent. As long as people have guns, they will have the ability to control their own destiny, rather than have it dictated to them.
That is what America is all about. And that is why I love guns.
_________________________________________________________
This essay originally appeared on GunTruths.com.
Charles Robert Carner wrote and directed "Vanishing Point," which is being released to DVD on March 8. If you think this is the kind of worldview that we need in Hollywood, I encourage you to read my review and see this film.--David Codrea
Guns. I love guns. Guns in the hands of private citizens are the best means for defense of home and family against criminals, and for restraining the tyrannical tendencies of government.
Guns save lives. All across the United States, from cities to suburbs to towns and rural hamlets, guns are used every day to prevent crime, protect property and deter predators. Guns allow women to walk alone without fear of assault. Guns protect policemen, and help them protect the citizens they watch over. Guns protect political leaders, prominent businessmen, celebrities, cabbies, bank guards and jewelry merchants. Every day, all day and all night, guns make it possible for people to perform risky but necessary work, and to remain alive and safe while so doing.
Guns ensure freedom. From Bunker Hill to the Battle of the Bulge, men with guns have fought oppression and liberated nations. Guns made the extraordinary philosophical vision of America’s founders possible in the real world. Without guns, Thomas Paine’s stirring call to action in Common Sense would have remained mere rhetoric – or led to futile rebellion. Guns freed the slaves in America’s Civil War. Guns stopped Hitler’s mad dream of world conquest, and Tojo’s planned Pacific empire. Guns liberated Africa from colonial chains; Africans served their masters at war – then applied the weapons and tactics they learned in distant battles to win their freedom at home. Conversely, when citizens are denied the right to own guns, oppression often follows. In the 20th century – the bloodiest in human history – genocide from Armenia to Cambodia was in each case preceded by stripping the citizens of their arms.
Guns are beautiful. From pinfire pistols to Kentucky rifles, from Samuel Colt’s "equalizer" to the H&K battle rifle, guns are gorgeous physical objects, pleasing to the mind and the senses. To hold a 1911 model .45 in one’s hand is to experience ergonomic delight; to field-strip an FN-FAL is to thrill at the elegance of its engineering and the profound simplicity of its design. From the venerable Browning Hi-Power to the cutting-edge titanium revolvers of this new millennium, from the storied Lee-Enfield to the sexy new Steyr Scout, guns give eloquent testimony to the genius of man.
Guns are fun. From plinking with a Ruger Mark II to thundering away with a .44 Magnum, from cocking the lever on a Winchester 94 to feeding the belt into a 1919 Browning, recreational shooting is one of the most enjoyable sports ever devised. It is also one of the only sports in which age and athleticism hardly matter at all. A petite grandmother can shoot just as well as a massive linebacker; all it takes is a little practice.
Guns are teaching tools. Learning to shoot means learning discipline, respect and the right way to do things. Learning to handle guns means learning to master fear, and builds confidence. You don’t just shoot the gun. Afterwards, there is the joy of field-stripping, cleaning and maintaining your firearm. It’s easy to do (unlike, for example, performing maintenance on your car after taking it for a drive), and you learn how the weapon operates. Guns teach us about history. Do the serial number and cartouche on that old M-1 Garand mean it was used to liberate Europe from the Nazis? It may very well indeed. Was that nicked-up German Mauser refitted to .308 by the Israelis to help establish the Jewish homeland? What a satisfying irony! Go to a gun show, and seek out the display of Revolutionary War-era rifles. Each whorl in the stock, each unique, handcrafted metal band and stud, reminds us of the courageous individual Americans who took up arms, shed blood and gave blood to hand down the legacy of freedom we now take for granted.
Guns provide peace of mind. From the rancher protecting his stock from wolves, to the night clerk protecting his shop from hoodlums, from the homeowner protecting his lifelong investment from thieves, to the soccer mom protecting her child from molesters, guns provide security during waking hours, and a sound sleep at night.
Times change, fashions shift, political theories come and go. Crime rises, crime falls. Felons serve hard time, or plea-bargain their way to continued mischief. What never changes is human nature. There will always be those who devote their energies to taking what isn’t rightfully theirs, whether it be property or human life. There will always be despots who seek to rule by force rather than consent. As long as people have guns, they will have the ability to control their own destiny, rather than have it dictated to them.
That is what America is all about. And that is why I love guns.
_________________________________________________________
This essay originally appeared on GunTruths.com.
Charles Robert Carner wrote and directed "Vanishing Point," which is being released to DVD on March 8. If you think this is the kind of worldview that we need in Hollywood, I encourage you to read my review and see this film.--David Codrea
Jay Knox’s NRA Board Picks
Jay Knox writes in an open letter:
“Don Turner, formerly of Arizona, was the manager of the Ben Avery Shooting Facility and stood up to the city of Phoenix when it wanted to carve up the range in a land grab. I will vote for him.
“Anyone who receives 250 write-in votes is eligible to run for the 76th Director at the Annual Meeting, so my other votes are going to be ‘write-ins’ for Christopher W. Knox of Phoenix, Arizona and Jeffrey Allen Knox of Gainesville, Virginia.”
I still maintain we need a way to rate Board candidates, just like politicians are rated. No meaningful change will ever come about unless and until candidates can be rated and supported based on values and performance, and punished for betrayals and compromises. But no one evidently cares, guaranteeing more of the same.
“Don Turner, formerly of Arizona, was the manager of the Ben Avery Shooting Facility and stood up to the city of Phoenix when it wanted to carve up the range in a land grab. I will vote for him.
“Anyone who receives 250 write-in votes is eligible to run for the 76th Director at the Annual Meeting, so my other votes are going to be ‘write-ins’ for Christopher W. Knox of Phoenix, Arizona and Jeffrey Allen Knox of Gainesville, Virginia.”
I still maintain we need a way to rate Board candidates, just like politicians are rated. No meaningful change will ever come about unless and until candidates can be rated and supported based on values and performance, and punished for betrayals and compromises. But no one evidently cares, guaranteeing more of the same.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Safe at Last, Safe at Last! Anna Kournikova Safe at Last!
“THE homeless man accused of stalking Russian tennis beauty Anna Kournikova has been issued with a civil restraining order.”
Let’s see, he stalks her both physically and via sexually explicit emails. He swims nude to her estate. He’s already been behind bars for stabbing a man. He’s hinting at pleading insanity. And if that isn’t enough, he’s a dude who knows who the individual members of the Spice Girls are--that’s nuts just by itself. (God help me—I saw a commercial and learned the Fanta Girls have individual names!)
I hope Anna feels safe with her “civil restraining order” when this wackjob is released. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t have armed bodyguards, but what about the next woman he fixates on?
The best restraining orders are issued from a modified Weaver or isosceles stance.
Let’s see, he stalks her both physically and via sexually explicit emails. He swims nude to her estate. He’s already been behind bars for stabbing a man. He’s hinting at pleading insanity. And if that isn’t enough, he’s a dude who knows who the individual members of the Spice Girls are--that’s nuts just by itself. (God help me—I saw a commercial and learned the Fanta Girls have individual names!)
I hope Anna feels safe with her “civil restraining order” when this wackjob is released. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t have armed bodyguards, but what about the next woman he fixates on?
The best restraining orders are issued from a modified Weaver or isosceles stance.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
How Gun Owners Can Make Society Safer and Protect Americans
Jennifer Freeman (cool last name, huh?) of Liberty Belles thinks ordinary Americans have a role to play in protecting our nation’s borders.
A citizen militia defending community, state and nation—why that’s a concept worthy of our Founders!
A citizen militia defending community, state and nation—why that’s a concept worthy of our Founders!
San Francisco Handgun Ban Media Project
Guy Smith wants to educate the public in San Francisco so that the proposed gun ban is defeated. He’s recruiting support for the project at http://www.gunfacts.info/sfban/.
If you’re not already aware of Gun Facts, check it out. It’s a great resource, and this announcement just reminded me to add it to my list of links.
If you’re not already aware of Gun Facts, check it out. It’s a great resource, and this announcement just reminded me to add it to my list of links.
Carner on "Standing Up For America"
From Rick Stanley:
"Charles Robert Carner will be the featured guest on 'Standing Up For America' with Rick Stanley, Sunday night at 7:00 PM MST, February 27, 2005, at http://www.americanvoiceradio.net to discuss his new movie remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point' . This movie has an incredible 'freedom and liberty' message not seen in mainstream Hollywood. I am not talking about the 'freedom and liberty' mentioned over and over by President Bush and his Police State of America either. We are talking the real thing. I would urge folks to listen in Sunday night and to check out the film as well.
"Information about the American Voice Radio Network and Rick Stanley are available by going to http://www.stanley2002.orgwith a link at the top of the main page for the Radio Network."
"Charles Robert Carner will be the featured guest on 'Standing Up For America' with Rick Stanley, Sunday night at 7:00 PM MST, February 27, 2005, at http://www.americanvoiceradio.net to discuss his new movie remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point' . This movie has an incredible 'freedom and liberty' message not seen in mainstream Hollywood. I am not talking about the 'freedom and liberty' mentioned over and over by President Bush and his Police State of America either. We are talking the real thing. I would urge folks to listen in Sunday night and to check out the film as well.
"Information about the American Voice Radio Network and Rick Stanley are available by going to http://www.stanley2002.orgwith a link at the top of the main page for the Radio Network."
Imagine That!
"Young people have some funny ideas about those days," [Black Panther historian Billy X Jennings] says. "They think it was all about the guns, but the guns were just a symbol. It was the right to carry them, and use them to defend yourself, that was important.” [Note: registration required to view article.]
Imagine that! The individual right to keep and bear arms stated clearly in the Contra Costa Times—with no hysterical counter-argument against the idea!!!
“Guns were front and center from the start," the article tells us, "partly because self-defense resonated in the black community because of a series of alleged police brutality incidents, partly because all that hardware got people's attention fast."
Imagine that! Guns are deemed useful for protecting citizens from abuse by those in power. Why, isn’t that the “Insurrectionary Theory” leftwing rags like the CCT discredit as the province and fantasy of white knuckle-draggers?
“That became evident in May 1967," the story continues, "when the Panthers exploded out of obscurity when news cameras filmed them on the steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento, carrying rifles to protest a bill that would have restricted gun ownership.”
Imagine that! Instead of suing gun makers, like the NAACP, or sponsoring gun turn-in programs, like so many urban churches, a group of blacks demand their right to keep and bear arms. They scared the Establishment so much with that event, that NRA’s Second Amendment Champion Ronald Reagan signed The Mulford Act into law, banning that type of open carry in California (along with supporting a host of other unconstitutional gun control edicts).
There's no outraged quote from a representative of VPC or the Million Moms/Brady Campaign, or from the cops, or from some posturing politician. The paper hasn't demonized the Panthers for being armed. Imagine that!
And, before protesting the Panthers were racist commie thugs, that’s not the point. This is.
Imagine that! The individual right to keep and bear arms stated clearly in the Contra Costa Times—with no hysterical counter-argument against the idea!!!
“Guns were front and center from the start," the article tells us, "partly because self-defense resonated in the black community because of a series of alleged police brutality incidents, partly because all that hardware got people's attention fast."
Imagine that! Guns are deemed useful for protecting citizens from abuse by those in power. Why, isn’t that the “Insurrectionary Theory” leftwing rags like the CCT discredit as the province and fantasy of white knuckle-draggers?
“That became evident in May 1967," the story continues, "when the Panthers exploded out of obscurity when news cameras filmed them on the steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento, carrying rifles to protest a bill that would have restricted gun ownership.”
Imagine that! Instead of suing gun makers, like the NAACP, or sponsoring gun turn-in programs, like so many urban churches, a group of blacks demand their right to keep and bear arms. They scared the Establishment so much with that event, that NRA’s Second Amendment Champion Ronald Reagan signed The Mulford Act into law, banning that type of open carry in California (along with supporting a host of other unconstitutional gun control edicts).
There's no outraged quote from a representative of VPC or the Million Moms/Brady Campaign, or from the cops, or from some posturing politician. The paper hasn't demonized the Panthers for being armed. Imagine that!
And, before protesting the Panthers were racist commie thugs, that’s not the point. This is.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Sauce for the Goose
Well, if anti-gun CNN can violate firearm edicts with impunity, why can't anti-gun churches?
Just don't expect "authoritah" to treat them like they would you and me. When it comes to the antis violating the law to make a point, BATFU has been committed to looking the other way for years. After all, if you have a group of useful idiots out there helping you demonize guns in private hands, that's free advertising.
Just don't expect "authoritah" to treat them like they would you and me. When it comes to the antis violating the law to make a point, BATFU has been committed to looking the other way for years. After all, if you have a group of useful idiots out there helping you demonize guns in private hands, that's free advertising.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Plea for Help: Publicola Was Here
Read Publicola's take, written in Sept. 2003, on the lawsuit against the "Plea for Help" gun store owners.
Monday, February 21, 2005
I Need a Drink...
“Britain’s Kalashnikov Joint Stock Vodka company has revealed plans to change its name to get rid of the military connotations. The move came after a number of campaigns were launched to boycott the brand because it allegedly promoted violence.”
Thanks to Dennis Walker of PRO for tipping me off to this one.
Thanks to Dennis Walker of PRO for tipping me off to this one.
Vanishing Point Reappears
FOX TV Movie releasing to DVD in March
By David Codrea
PRESS RELEASE:
“Charles Robert Carner’s action-packed remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point' roars onto DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, March 8, 2005. Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) stars as Kowalski, the lone hero in the Dodge Challenger who leads an army of lawmen on a wild car chase across the American West…”
Viggo Mortensen in VANISHING POINT
Produced by Alan C. Blomquist
Directed by Charles Robert Carner
Screenwriter Charles Robert Carner
“Vanishing Point” also stars Jason Priestley, Christine Elise, Keith David, Steve Railsback, John Doe and Peta Wilson
________________________
HISTORY
Back when I was young and immortal, I fancied myself fast behind the wheel. But this was the era of muscle cars, and as proud as I was of my old Buick V-8, it fell short of the "gold standard"--it wasn't a Mopar.
As if to remind boys like me of our place in the food chain, the movie “Vanishing Point” came screaming into theaters, featuring Barry Newman as the pill-popping Kowalski, who leads police on an interstate chase over a bet. But for me, the real star of the film was the white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T with the 440 Magnum engine.
“Vanishing Point” became a hit with a cult following, for many, the benchmark for car chase movies. There was no way for me to know at the time that a generation later it would bring a friend into my life, resulting in collaborative efforts on GunTruths.com and the Citizens of America national advertising campaign for gun rights.
When I first heard of Charles Robert Carner I was producing a newsletter for the Westside Los Angeles NRA Member’s Council, 2nd Amendment West, my first foray into gun rights commentary. Because he was a nominal member of the Council and wanted to publicize the film to gun owners, Charlie contacted me about his soon-to-be-broadcast television movie for 20th Century-Fox, a remake of the Newman classic.
“What is this guy,” I remember thinking to myself, “nuts?”
Besides, what did a car movie have to do with guns?
As it turned out, not that much--at least, not as it applies to We the People. But it had plenty to do with the main reason we have guns. It had plenty to do with freedom.
What follows is not going to be a “movie review” per se, as much as a series of observations. You can read a review I am told is good here. I informed Charlie I didn’t want to read it until after I had finished this article, to avoid any influence on what I wanted to say.
________________________
THE FILM (and why gun owners/liberty activists should care)
First impressions: Gentle guitar notes set a sad, serene mood. A horned toad establishes the terrain. Machine sounds invade—bulldozers, it turns out, doing what? Squad car lights are flashing. Helicopter blades thud. Other instruments have joined the guitar; the music is more urgent now, and ominous. A Man in Black directs activities. The bulldozers have formed a roadblock. A white Challenger appears over a rise, pursued by flashing police cars.
Protestors carry signs on the sidelines. One, just briefly visible, reads “Don’t Forget Mt. Carmel.”
This is a “mainstream” television movie?
“If you do not stay back,” a bullhorn blares, “you will be arrested.”
The Challenger stops. We see a close up shot of Kowalski, the driver. His face looks grim, determined, resigned.
It is Easter Sunday in Riddle, ID.
Basic Plot/Synopsis:
Former Army Ranger and racer Kowalski restores vintage muscle cars and delivers them to customers. While in transit to deliver a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, he learns his pregnant wife, who suffers from Lupus, has been admitted to the hospital and is gravely ill. Unable to schedule a flight at the local airport, he decides to take advantage of the awesome machine at his disposal and drive from New Mexico to the hospital in Boise. Cops stop him for speeding. They won't listen to him and want to take him in to process his citation, which will result in a long delay. Desperate, Kowalski takes off and the chase is on. And then the feds get involved.
In Carner's words, "The story is also a spiritual quest." It explores Kowalski's religious awakening, thanks to his wife, as well as the deep bond and commitment the two have made to each other. Faith and the sanctity of marriage--there are two concepts Hollywood doesn't beat to death.
Important Differences:
The car looks the same as it did in the Newman classic. There is a difference, we learn--the 440 Magnum has been replaced with a 426 Hemi.
One big difference is with Kowalski. Mortensen's has a first name (Jimmy), and unlike the pill-popper in the original, the new Kowalski has a purpose.
There's another big difference. This remake focuses its lens on the government's War on Freedom, and the evil tactics they employ.
"In the 25 years between Richard Sarafian's original and my remake," Carner writes, "the right and the left had switched places. It was deep in the Clinton era. The 'counter-cultural' 'anti-establishment' attitude of the original gave it a hip, '60's left-liberal-nihilism. In my remake, it's the small businessman (once the backbone of America) who has become the outcast - and that neo-fascist state is populated by Leftists. The FBI = the Gestapo. The theme - the individual vs the state - is the same; it's just that the state is now the former '60's radicals in power."
Memorable Characters:
That's why my favorite character in the new VP is The Man in Black, sinister FBI supervisor Warren Taftley, played as the Javert to Mortensen's Valjean by Tony-winning stage star Keith David. We first meet him when the camera pans down from portraits of Bill Clinton and Janet Reno, as he is instructing a subordinate to tie Kowalski's flight in with drugs and guns.
"How do you figure guns?" the agent asks.
"Idaho. Extremists. Right-wing militias," Taftley replies. "That's our way in--domestic terrorism, high explosives, planning another Oklahoma City."
"It could be--but we don't have any evidence," the agent cautions.
"We'll get it," Taftley confidently assures him. "He's run across four state lines. It's gotta be something big."
In the minds of those corrupted by power, there can be no innocent explanation for a subject exercising freedom. We are all suspects. And evidence is just a formality.
Carner did something cool here in the casting, breaking away from sterotypes--having a black man represent corrupt authority to the point of being an enthusiastic persecutor. That had to be a very liberating role to play, and Mr. David does it well.
"We worked Keith's shooting schedule around a play he was doing," Charlie tells me. "He was great and he really enjoyed playing a guy who assumed his own righteousness to the point of absolute dictatorship."
There are other great characters as well--Kowalski is assisted in evading his pursuers by a happenstance ally, a libertarian/Constitutionalist talk radio broadcaster known as "The Voice," portrayed by Jason Priestley, in another bit of inspired casting that certainly helps break the sterotype of a Beverly Hills 90210 heartthrob.
Replacing the hip "SuperSoul" role Cleavon Little played so well in the original VP, The Voice warns Kowalski about his pursuers so that he can take alternate routes, all the while decrying tyrannical abuses and philosophizing to his listeners about liberty-oriented themes, and how "The Bill of Rights is as forgotten as the Dead Sea Scrolls."
"Once upon a time," The Voice laments, "the police would have given this man an escort, instead of trying to run him into the ground!"
Another good portrayal is turned in by Steve Railsback, playing Sgt. Preston of the New Mexico State police.
"It takes a Mopar to catch a Mopar," Preston explains to his deputy, abandoning his squad car for a black '68 Charger R/T in a subtle tribute to another great car chase film, Bullitt. (The Charger should have blown the doors off Steve McQueen's 390 fastback Mustang).
The rest of the cast acquit themselves nicely as well. Christine Elise as Raphinia, Kowalski's wife, provides a moral anchor and spiritual mentor for Jimmy, and the gorgeous Peta Wilson, as the Motorcycle Girl, plays a provocative temptress and then ally.
The Ending:
I won't reveal it here-- you'll have to get the DVD and see it for yourself. I will say that Carner doesn't let up on his freedom theme. We see the protestors more clearly now. In addition to the "Mt. Carmel" sign, there's one that reads "Remember Ruby Ridge."
How did he get away with it on Establishment TV?
"You can tell I had a lot of fun on the movie," he tells me. "When I wrote the script, I just ranted away - went for it. I figured when the network started whining, I could pull back a little and still respect myself in the morning. But when Viggo signed on - and was only available right this minute - that first draft got green-lit. And the network never squawked. I kept all the politics in the final cut."
Carner's is an important voice in the film industry for principles of freedom that are almost universally ignored. "Vanishing Point" is a good example of popular art we could use a lot more of.
_______________________
CHARLES ROBERT CARNER FILMOGRAPHY
Chicago-born Charles Robert Carner began working in the entertainment industry after graduating valedictorian of his class at Columbia College, where he directed the film Assassins, starring Joe Mantegna, which was named Best Student Film at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Carner then went to work as a story editor for director Tony Bill, writing screenplays in his spare time. His first produced script was Seduced, starring Gregory Harrison and Cybill Shepherd. He followed that with the action-adventure feature Gymkata; Let's Get Harry, with Mark Harmon, Robert Duvall and Gary Busey; and the telefilm Eyes of a Witness, starring Jennifer Grey and Daniel J. Travanti. Carner expanded into producing on the feature film Blind Fury, with Rutger Hauer. He then began realizing his lifelong dream of directing his own scripts. He began with episodes of "Midnight Caller", "Reasonable Doubts" and "The Untouchables", before moving on to such television movies as A Killer Among Friends and One Woman's Courage.
Carner's list of television movies continued to expand, with such titles as Vanishing Point, starring The Lord of the Rings’ Viggo Mortensen, and The Fixer, starring Jon Voight, both of which went on to win several awards. In July 2000, his film Who Killed Atlanta's Children?, starring Jim Belushi and Gregory Hines debuted on Showtime and became that network's highest rated movie of the year. Carner made a huge splash on basic cable when he wrote the TNT Western Crossfire Trail, the highest-rated cable movie in television history, starring Tom Selleck. He wrote, directed and executive produced the holiday hit Christmas Rush for TBS Superstation, starring Dean Cain and Eric Roberts, and directed Red Water, the highest-rated basic cable movie in history, starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Kristy Swanson for TBS Superstation. His last network directorial effort, Judas, aired on ABC Television in 2004.
Mr. Carner is a Life Member of both the National Rifle Association and the Sierra Club, serves on the Executive Committee of Catholics in Media, and is a biographee in Who's Who in America.
You can read his gun commentaries here. (Click on "GunTruths Correspondents")
--Report compiled from various sources including Mr. Carner.
By David Codrea
PRESS RELEASE:
“Charles Robert Carner’s action-packed remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point' roars onto DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, March 8, 2005. Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) stars as Kowalski, the lone hero in the Dodge Challenger who leads an army of lawmen on a wild car chase across the American West…”
Viggo Mortensen in VANISHING POINT
Produced by Alan C. Blomquist
Directed by Charles Robert Carner
Screenwriter Charles Robert Carner
“Vanishing Point” also stars Jason Priestley, Christine Elise, Keith David, Steve Railsback, John Doe and Peta Wilson
________________________
HISTORY
Back when I was young and immortal, I fancied myself fast behind the wheel. But this was the era of muscle cars, and as proud as I was of my old Buick V-8, it fell short of the "gold standard"--it wasn't a Mopar.
As if to remind boys like me of our place in the food chain, the movie “Vanishing Point” came screaming into theaters, featuring Barry Newman as the pill-popping Kowalski, who leads police on an interstate chase over a bet. But for me, the real star of the film was the white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T with the 440 Magnum engine.
“Vanishing Point” became a hit with a cult following, for many, the benchmark for car chase movies. There was no way for me to know at the time that a generation later it would bring a friend into my life, resulting in collaborative efforts on GunTruths.com and the Citizens of America national advertising campaign for gun rights.
When I first heard of Charles Robert Carner I was producing a newsletter for the Westside Los Angeles NRA Member’s Council, 2nd Amendment West, my first foray into gun rights commentary. Because he was a nominal member of the Council and wanted to publicize the film to gun owners, Charlie contacted me about his soon-to-be-broadcast television movie for 20th Century-Fox, a remake of the Newman classic.
“What is this guy,” I remember thinking to myself, “nuts?”
Besides, what did a car movie have to do with guns?
As it turned out, not that much--at least, not as it applies to We the People. But it had plenty to do with the main reason we have guns. It had plenty to do with freedom.
What follows is not going to be a “movie review” per se, as much as a series of observations. You can read a review I am told is good here. I informed Charlie I didn’t want to read it until after I had finished this article, to avoid any influence on what I wanted to say.
________________________
THE FILM (and why gun owners/liberty activists should care)
First impressions: Gentle guitar notes set a sad, serene mood. A horned toad establishes the terrain. Machine sounds invade—bulldozers, it turns out, doing what? Squad car lights are flashing. Helicopter blades thud. Other instruments have joined the guitar; the music is more urgent now, and ominous. A Man in Black directs activities. The bulldozers have formed a roadblock. A white Challenger appears over a rise, pursued by flashing police cars.
Protestors carry signs on the sidelines. One, just briefly visible, reads “Don’t Forget Mt. Carmel.”
This is a “mainstream” television movie?
“If you do not stay back,” a bullhorn blares, “you will be arrested.”
The Challenger stops. We see a close up shot of Kowalski, the driver. His face looks grim, determined, resigned.
It is Easter Sunday in Riddle, ID.
Basic Plot/Synopsis:
Former Army Ranger and racer Kowalski restores vintage muscle cars and delivers them to customers. While in transit to deliver a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, he learns his pregnant wife, who suffers from Lupus, has been admitted to the hospital and is gravely ill. Unable to schedule a flight at the local airport, he decides to take advantage of the awesome machine at his disposal and drive from New Mexico to the hospital in Boise. Cops stop him for speeding. They won't listen to him and want to take him in to process his citation, which will result in a long delay. Desperate, Kowalski takes off and the chase is on. And then the feds get involved.
In Carner's words, "The story is also a spiritual quest." It explores Kowalski's religious awakening, thanks to his wife, as well as the deep bond and commitment the two have made to each other. Faith and the sanctity of marriage--there are two concepts Hollywood doesn't beat to death.
Important Differences:
The car looks the same as it did in the Newman classic. There is a difference, we learn--the 440 Magnum has been replaced with a 426 Hemi.
One big difference is with Kowalski. Mortensen's has a first name (Jimmy), and unlike the pill-popper in the original, the new Kowalski has a purpose.
There's another big difference. This remake focuses its lens on the government's War on Freedom, and the evil tactics they employ.
"In the 25 years between Richard Sarafian's original and my remake," Carner writes, "the right and the left had switched places. It was deep in the Clinton era. The 'counter-cultural' 'anti-establishment' attitude of the original gave it a hip, '60's left-liberal-nihilism. In my remake, it's the small businessman (once the backbone of America) who has become the outcast - and that neo-fascist state is populated by Leftists. The FBI = the Gestapo. The theme - the individual vs the state - is the same; it's just that the state is now the former '60's radicals in power."
Memorable Characters:
That's why my favorite character in the new VP is The Man in Black, sinister FBI supervisor Warren Taftley, played as the Javert to Mortensen's Valjean by Tony-winning stage star Keith David. We first meet him when the camera pans down from portraits of Bill Clinton and Janet Reno, as he is instructing a subordinate to tie Kowalski's flight in with drugs and guns.
"How do you figure guns?" the agent asks.
"Idaho. Extremists. Right-wing militias," Taftley replies. "That's our way in--domestic terrorism, high explosives, planning another Oklahoma City."
"It could be--but we don't have any evidence," the agent cautions.
"We'll get it," Taftley confidently assures him. "He's run across four state lines. It's gotta be something big."
In the minds of those corrupted by power, there can be no innocent explanation for a subject exercising freedom. We are all suspects. And evidence is just a formality.
Carner did something cool here in the casting, breaking away from sterotypes--having a black man represent corrupt authority to the point of being an enthusiastic persecutor. That had to be a very liberating role to play, and Mr. David does it well.
"We worked Keith's shooting schedule around a play he was doing," Charlie tells me. "He was great and he really enjoyed playing a guy who assumed his own righteousness to the point of absolute dictatorship."
There are other great characters as well--Kowalski is assisted in evading his pursuers by a happenstance ally, a libertarian/Constitutionalist talk radio broadcaster known as "The Voice," portrayed by Jason Priestley, in another bit of inspired casting that certainly helps break the sterotype of a Beverly Hills 90210 heartthrob.
Replacing the hip "SuperSoul" role Cleavon Little played so well in the original VP, The Voice warns Kowalski about his pursuers so that he can take alternate routes, all the while decrying tyrannical abuses and philosophizing to his listeners about liberty-oriented themes, and how "The Bill of Rights is as forgotten as the Dead Sea Scrolls."
"Once upon a time," The Voice laments, "the police would have given this man an escort, instead of trying to run him into the ground!"
Another good portrayal is turned in by Steve Railsback, playing Sgt. Preston of the New Mexico State police.
"It takes a Mopar to catch a Mopar," Preston explains to his deputy, abandoning his squad car for a black '68 Charger R/T in a subtle tribute to another great car chase film, Bullitt. (The Charger should have blown the doors off Steve McQueen's 390 fastback Mustang).
The rest of the cast acquit themselves nicely as well. Christine Elise as Raphinia, Kowalski's wife, provides a moral anchor and spiritual mentor for Jimmy, and the gorgeous Peta Wilson, as the Motorcycle Girl, plays a provocative temptress and then ally.
The Ending:
I won't reveal it here-- you'll have to get the DVD and see it for yourself. I will say that Carner doesn't let up on his freedom theme. We see the protestors more clearly now. In addition to the "Mt. Carmel" sign, there's one that reads "Remember Ruby Ridge."
How did he get away with it on Establishment TV?
"You can tell I had a lot of fun on the movie," he tells me. "When I wrote the script, I just ranted away - went for it. I figured when the network started whining, I could pull back a little and still respect myself in the morning. But when Viggo signed on - and was only available right this minute - that first draft got green-lit. And the network never squawked. I kept all the politics in the final cut."
Carner's is an important voice in the film industry for principles of freedom that are almost universally ignored. "Vanishing Point" is a good example of popular art we could use a lot more of.
_______________________
CHARLES ROBERT CARNER FILMOGRAPHY
Chicago-born Charles Robert Carner began working in the entertainment industry after graduating valedictorian of his class at Columbia College, where he directed the film Assassins, starring Joe Mantegna, which was named Best Student Film at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Carner then went to work as a story editor for director Tony Bill, writing screenplays in his spare time. His first produced script was Seduced, starring Gregory Harrison and Cybill Shepherd. He followed that with the action-adventure feature Gymkata; Let's Get Harry, with Mark Harmon, Robert Duvall and Gary Busey; and the telefilm Eyes of a Witness, starring Jennifer Grey and Daniel J. Travanti. Carner expanded into producing on the feature film Blind Fury, with Rutger Hauer. He then began realizing his lifelong dream of directing his own scripts. He began with episodes of "Midnight Caller", "Reasonable Doubts" and "The Untouchables", before moving on to such television movies as A Killer Among Friends and One Woman's Courage.
Carner's list of television movies continued to expand, with such titles as Vanishing Point, starring The Lord of the Rings’ Viggo Mortensen, and The Fixer, starring Jon Voight, both of which went on to win several awards. In July 2000, his film Who Killed Atlanta's Children?, starring Jim Belushi and Gregory Hines debuted on Showtime and became that network's highest rated movie of the year. Carner made a huge splash on basic cable when he wrote the TNT Western Crossfire Trail, the highest-rated cable movie in television history, starring Tom Selleck. He wrote, directed and executive produced the holiday hit Christmas Rush for TBS Superstation, starring Dean Cain and Eric Roberts, and directed Red Water, the highest-rated basic cable movie in history, starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Kristy Swanson for TBS Superstation. His last network directorial effort, Judas, aired on ABC Television in 2004.
Mr. Carner is a Life Member of both the National Rifle Association and the Sierra Club, serves on the Executive Committee of Catholics in Media, and is a biographee in Who's Who in America.
You can read his gun commentaries here. (Click on "GunTruths Correspondents")
--Report compiled from various sources including Mr. Carner.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
The Geek's NRA Board Recommendations
GeekWithA.45 tells us who he endorses for the NRA Board of Directors and why.
I'd be curious to see how his picks would answer this.
I'd be curious to see how his picks would answer this.
“A Plea for Help”
I don’t normally involve myself in individual requests for assistance. This one came through, and the gross unfairness of the situation struck me—as well as the implications for destroying lawful commerce in firearms. Here’s the gist of things:
Teenage reptiles plot and execute a “thrill killing” of two pizza deliverers. They obtain their weapons by breaking into a gun shop.
Lawsuits are filed by the victims’ survivors. Among those named, who settle for an undisclosed amount: the burglarized gun store and their alarm company.
Aside from having the predictable effect of scaring off New Jersey proprietors from dealing in firearms, the former owners of the gun store have also had their financial lives destroyed.
I received the following from Lawrence C. Farrell, Jr., of Gun Owners of New Jersey:
“A PLEA FOR HELP
"Hi Everyone, I am making a personal plea to help some folks who really need it. Keith and Sheila Hughes are the young couple who owned the gun shop in Sussex Co that was broken into 7 years ago and a gun stolen was used in a murder. They had followed every regulation concerning store security, however, the NJ courts said they were negligent and responsible for the crime and have been suffering ever since. I have been recently notified by friends that they are about to lose their home and belongings because of a court decision still related to the incident 7 years ago. They have lost their business, their credit, their jobs;---need I go further, simply because they owned a gun store in NJ. They are a young couple with 2 small children and they don't deserve this.
"On another note, the murder victim’s family sued and won millions of dollars from their insurance. Welcome to NJ! To get to the point, please send a small donation to them and let them know you are a gun owner and they have friends. They are really at the end of their rope after years of harassment. A $20.00 donation from each of us (or whatever you can) will go far to pay some bills and boost their morale.
"Please send donations to:
"HUGHES FAMILY C/O Vernon United Methodist Church PO Box 345 Vernon, NJ 07452
"THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANY GUN STORE OWNER OR ANY OF US IF OUR HOMES WERE BURGLARIZED. THEY NEED SUPPORT FROM THE GUN OWNERS COMMUNITY. PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT CARE. We appreciate this very much.
"Peggy and Mike Bodner, ANJRPC"
Lawrence asks that donors write “GONJ” on the memo line of their checks.
Teenage reptiles plot and execute a “thrill killing” of two pizza deliverers. They obtain their weapons by breaking into a gun shop.
Lawsuits are filed by the victims’ survivors. Among those named, who settle for an undisclosed amount: the burglarized gun store and their alarm company.
Aside from having the predictable effect of scaring off New Jersey proprietors from dealing in firearms, the former owners of the gun store have also had their financial lives destroyed.
I received the following from Lawrence C. Farrell, Jr., of Gun Owners of New Jersey:
“A PLEA FOR HELP
"Hi Everyone, I am making a personal plea to help some folks who really need it. Keith and Sheila Hughes are the young couple who owned the gun shop in Sussex Co that was broken into 7 years ago and a gun stolen was used in a murder. They had followed every regulation concerning store security, however, the NJ courts said they were negligent and responsible for the crime and have been suffering ever since. I have been recently notified by friends that they are about to lose their home and belongings because of a court decision still related to the incident 7 years ago. They have lost their business, their credit, their jobs;---need I go further, simply because they owned a gun store in NJ. They are a young couple with 2 small children and they don't deserve this.
"On another note, the murder victim’s family sued and won millions of dollars from their insurance. Welcome to NJ! To get to the point, please send a small donation to them and let them know you are a gun owner and they have friends. They are really at the end of their rope after years of harassment. A $20.00 donation from each of us (or whatever you can) will go far to pay some bills and boost their morale.
"Please send donations to:
"HUGHES FAMILY C/O Vernon United Methodist Church PO Box 345 Vernon, NJ 07452
"THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANY GUN STORE OWNER OR ANY OF US IF OUR HOMES WERE BURGLARIZED. THEY NEED SUPPORT FROM THE GUN OWNERS COMMUNITY. PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT CARE. We appreciate this very much.
"Peggy and Mike Bodner, ANJRPC"
Lawrence asks that donors write “GONJ” on the memo line of their checks.
More on the Questionable CNN Gun Buy
The Smallest Minority wants to do a “blogswarm.” (I’m new to blogging, but I can guess what that means. Still, please bear with me. Up until a few days ago, I’d have said “fisking” is what they’re teaching Massachusetts public school kids to do):
TriggerFinger has done a great job keeping on top of this story:
*His letter to CNN
*For those having trouble viewing the CNN video...
*CNN Felony Gunswarm!
* ...and a straw purchase, too!
*The 1968 Gun Control Act
*CNN reporter commits a federal felony to get an anti-gun story
TriggerFinger has done a great job keeping on top of this story:
*His letter to CNN
*For those having trouble viewing the CNN video...
*CNN Felony Gunswarm!
* ...and a straw purchase, too!
*The 1968 Gun Control Act
*CNN reporter commits a federal felony to get an anti-gun story
Did CNN Just Commit a "Gun Crime"?
Freedom Sight points us to a discussion over at The Claire Files. Apparently, a reporter at anti-gun CNN just committed a federal felony by purchasing a .50 cal. rifle without going through all the “legal” transfer requirements. Either that or he did, and he’s not disclosing it in his story to make it look like just anybody can do this.
To see the video, go here and click on the “Powerful Rifle Readily Available” link in the Video graphic at the top right of the page.
NOTE: "To view this CNN content you must have RealOne SuperPass or CNN NewsPass."
To see the video, go here and click on the “Powerful Rifle Readily Available” link in the Video graphic at the top right of the page.
NOTE: "To view this CNN content you must have RealOne SuperPass or CNN NewsPass."
Saturday, February 19, 2005
NRA Bashes U.N. on Small-Arms Reduction
"Others here may suggest the U.S. to get out of the U.N.” Wayne LaPierre thunders (just like he means it). “Right now I just want the U.N. to get out of the U.S." [More]
Right.
Will you put your money where your mouth is, Mr. LaPierre?
Will you fold up shop on NRA's much-ballyhooed UN NGO and withdraw support and NRA membership from the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities?
Will you have the Board pass a resolution that NRA's official and only policy toward global gungrabbers is "Molon Labe"?
I wrote a rebuttal appearing in the Sept. 2003 issue of GUNS AND AMMO to a piece featured in their May 2003 issue that praised the World Forum as a “pro gun watchdog.”
In it, I documented WFFSSA’s backing of gun marking/ registration schemes, along with their assisting the UN in defining "non-sporting" firearms, and recommended "Rather than working with [the UN], we should withdraw and conduct our sovereign affairs as prescribed by the Constitution--observing Washington's admonishment to 'steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.'"
Interestingly, the California-based NRA Members Councils, which don't do a thing that is disapproved by their masters in Fairfax, attacked my endorsement of the Constitution and of Washington's philosophy, complaining "it is hard to imagine how an almost Islamist-like exclusionary world-view will enable the Codreas of the world to convert more than the occasional wandering 'Aryan' to the paradise of a rapidly diminishing gunowner 'reservation.'
"It is apparently more important for Codrea and his ilk to maintain an ideological purity of thought rather than achieve any of the incremental positional successes that could best guarantee eventual victory."
Just like all those incremental successes gun owners have enjoyed in California, right?
One more question: By calling for expulsion of the UN, does Wayne's new "ideological purity of thought" and "Islamist-like exclusionary world-view" now make him one of my "ilk"?
Right.
Will you put your money where your mouth is, Mr. LaPierre?
Will you fold up shop on NRA's much-ballyhooed UN NGO and withdraw support and NRA membership from the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities?
Will you have the Board pass a resolution that NRA's official and only policy toward global gungrabbers is "Molon Labe"?
I wrote a rebuttal appearing in the Sept. 2003 issue of GUNS AND AMMO to a piece featured in their May 2003 issue that praised the World Forum as a “pro gun watchdog.”
In it, I documented WFFSSA’s backing of gun marking/ registration schemes, along with their assisting the UN in defining "non-sporting" firearms, and recommended "Rather than working with [the UN], we should withdraw and conduct our sovereign affairs as prescribed by the Constitution--observing Washington's admonishment to 'steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.'"
Interestingly, the California-based NRA Members Councils, which don't do a thing that is disapproved by their masters in Fairfax, attacked my endorsement of the Constitution and of Washington's philosophy, complaining "it is hard to imagine how an almost Islamist-like exclusionary world-view will enable the Codreas of the world to convert more than the occasional wandering 'Aryan' to the paradise of a rapidly diminishing gunowner 'reservation.'
"It is apparently more important for Codrea and his ilk to maintain an ideological purity of thought rather than achieve any of the incremental positional successes that could best guarantee eventual victory."
Just like all those incremental successes gun owners have enjoyed in California, right?
One more question: By calling for expulsion of the UN, does Wayne's new "ideological purity of thought" and "Islamist-like exclusionary world-view" now make him one of my "ilk"?
Workplace Violence Carries Heavy Cost
"Never allow guns, knives or other weapons in or around company property, including parking lots," Louise Rogers-Feher authoritatively postures, as if she knows what the hell she's talking about.
"In some instances, employees have gone to their cars during breaks and returned with weapons," she warns.
Great idea, Louise! You first.
Let's ban all guns in all workplaces.
INCLUDING the Baltimore County Police Department, where YOU work.
"In some instances, employees have gone to their cars during breaks and returned with weapons," she warns.
Great idea, Louise! You first.
Let's ban all guns in all workplaces.
INCLUDING the Baltimore County Police Department, where YOU work.
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